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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26762059">All This Longing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiJ/pseuds/KikiJ'>KikiJ</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking, Drinking Games, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Multi, Mutual Pining, Partying, Second Citadel (Penumbra Podcast), Sharing a Bed, Singing, Strip Games, open mic nights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:27:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>36,090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26762059</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiJ/pseuds/KikiJ</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Damien likes (well, it would be more accurate to say loves) Rilla. In fact, he’s had a crush on her since they met in First Year, but Rilla is oblivious.</p><p>Damien also thinks Rilla likes her new friend, Arum- but Rilla thinks that Arum and Damien like each other, and well, none of them are exactly wrong on that account. </p><p>For the record, Arum is under the impression that Damien and Rilla are dating, which is incorrect, but, in his defense, they sort of act exactly like a couple. </p><p>However, maybe they’ll get their shit together, eventually, over the course of a few open mic nights, a couple of college parties, a movie night, and, oh yeah- some exams and papers and stuff.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lord Arum/Sir Damien/Rilla (Penumbra Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this because the idea was too fun for me to pass up. It's a modern fantasy and because the lore isn't suuuper developed, I messed around with it a bunch. I wrote it while refusing to listen to season 3, but I'm caught up now. </p><p>Super duper "idiots to lovers" vibes ahead ;) </p><p>There are quite a few party scenes, with alcohol, and quite a few sexual innuendos but it's not super graphic or anything!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So,” Rilla started, holding on to Damien’s arm with one hand and gesturing forward with her other, “this is Arum, Damien. And Arum, this is Damien,” she gestured back towards Damien.</p><p>“It’s nice to meet you, friend,” Damien said in a pleasant tone, looking from Rilla’s expectant face to Arum’s indiscernible one.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said, “it’s… very nice to make your acquaintance.” He offered one of his right hands, and Damien shook it.</p><p>Rilla snorted quietly at the formality, and took her seat. “Thanks so much for being okay with studying together. I sort of double-booked this time, so.” She sucked air through her teeth and flipped open her schedule, which was chock full of tabs and notes. She crossed off the study hour she was about to enter. Rilla heaved a sigh, muttering under her breath, “It’s only been three weeks and I’m already falling behind schedule...”</p><p>“It’s always a delight to meet someone new,” Damien said, sitting and plucking a book from his crossbody satchel. Arum sat across from him and unfolded a computer, and pulled out a slim notebook of his own.</p><p>“Yes. I’ve heard much about you,” Arum said, and Damien glanced to Rilla.</p><p>“Oh? Mostly good things, I hope,” Damien chuckled, and Rilla looked up at him.</p><p>“Naturally,” she said, giving up a tiny smile.</p><p>“Of course,” Arum confirmed. “Amaryllis speaks highly of you, tktktk,” he trilled his tongue, making an <em>interesting</em> noise, and Damien raised a brow.</p><p>“Well, that’s good to know,” he nudged his elbow against Rilla’s arm and she rolled her eyes at him. “She’s told me a bit about you as well, also good, I assure you! But, I’m always happy to hear things again- tell me, you’re studying Science?”</p><p>“Yes, a BSc in Biology,” Arum said, “I am particularly interested in wetland ecology.”</p><p>“Oh! That’s very interesting. Remind me, dear friend, ecology is…?”</p><p>“The study of ecosystems. Basically, I am interested in… swamps,” Arum explained.</p><p>“Oh!” Damien said again. “Well, I hear they are quite fascinating things, actually. Rilla has been telling me, much lies beneath the surface of what looks to be a muddy spot in a forest- I suppose, she may be explaining things that you yourself explained to her.”</p><p>“Yeah, basically,” Rilla said, already scribbling in her notebook. She tapped a pen against her lip. “I mean, I know a liiiittle bit about plant ecology, but, not tons. You know I’ve been trying to grow some medicinal plants in the spare room, but- Arum has taught me a lot recently, about the wetlands.”</p><p>“I see,” Damien smiled.</p><p>“And you’re in writing?” Arum asked, tilting his head.</p><p>“Yes! I am in Creative Writing, with a minor in History, though- I almost minored in Religious Studies, but I felt, with my main goal being to publish, that, the ability to place things within history and understand where we came from would be better to inform my writing. Still, most of my free courses are in Religion. Or Performance Arts.”</p><p>“That… adds up,” Arum said, and Damien chuckled.</p><p>“Yes,” he said. “Well! Shall we get to studying?”</p><p>“Probably,” Arum said. “I’ve never studied in the No-Shush zone before,” he said, glancing around himself. At the other tables, there were people talking, eating, and watching things on laptops.</p><p>“Oh, right,” Rilla said, her eyebrows knitting for just a moment. “I hope it won’t be distracting for you. We always have to study down here,” Rilla explained.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Arum told them. “But… why? Isn’t it distracting for <em>you</em>?”</p><p>“No, not really,” Rilla explained. And then, she glanced up from her book as Damien cleared his throat, and back down again.</p><p>“When Wilde wrote ‘But you, Dorian, with your pure, bright, innocent face, and your marvelous, untroubled youth—I can’t believe anything against you.’ Through the character of Basil in his novel ‘<em>The Picture of Dorian Grey</em>, many would say he was trying to portray the naivete of the character,” Damien read aloud, “I, however, would argue that it portrays not naivete alone- though this is present, but desperation, primarily.” He pressed his lips together.</p><p>“Sounds good,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Yes?” Damien said.</p><p>“Yep,” Rilla said. “Maybe try to make some of the sentences shorter.”</p><p>“Oh, that is but my worst enemy,” Damien whined.</p><p>“I know,” Rilla said. She uncapped a highlighter, not looking up from her page.</p><p>“Ah,” Arum hummed, looking between the two as they went quiet again. Damien stared at his paper in silence, and Rilla highlighted her book with a fury.</p><p>With that, Arum pulled his laptop a bit closer and pulled open a slideshow he’d downloaded from the course site to start to read through.</p><p>Every once in a while, Damien would start talking out of nowhere. Arum would always glance up, but it didn’t appear he wanted a response, most of the time. When he did, he would say “Rilla!” in a shrill voice before he started to speak.</p><p>Rilla gave quick, short feedback, usually saying “Good” or “Good, but…” Damien would sometimes mutter to himself for a while after, and sometimes he would go silent and just start scribbling again.</p><p>It was evident they had a rhythm. And, it made sense to Arum that they couldn’t study in the quiet areas.</p><p>Arum really wasn’t bothered either way, but he was surprised that it wasn’t detrimental for Rilla, what with with the density of the material she was reading through.</p><p>About 30 minutes in, Arum shut down his slideshow and opened his notebook. He hadn’t started reading when he heard,</p><p>“Hey babes! It’s been so long, I’ve missed you two!” he looked up to see a young woman approach. He could feel magic wafting off her.</p><p>“Quanyii,” Damien said, smiling. Rilla bit her pen before looking up as well.</p><p>“Oh, hey,” Rilla said, then looked back down.</p><p>“Didn’t we see one another last week, at Performance Night?” Damien asked.</p><p>“Oh yeah, we did! I am so excited for next month- oh my gosh, whatever happened to that skit we were going to do, Dame?”</p><p>“It’s still stuck in a hellish pit of revision. We should really try to tackle it again, one of these days,” Damien said.</p><p>“Ugh, yes,” Quanyii replied. Then, she looked up at Arum and smiled. There was something devilish behind it. “Who’s this?”</p><p>“Oh, right,” Rilla said, “Quanyii, this is my friend, Arum. He’s my lab partner for one of my courses this semester. Arum, this is Quanyii, she and Damien are in the Theatre Society together.”</p><p>“It’s so nice to meet you!” Quanyii said, “Arum,” she added with a raise of her brow.</p><p>“Yes, indeed,” Arum said, and then he trilled his tongue quietly. “You… practice magic?”</p><p>“Practice? Honey, I’ve perfected it,” Quanyii said, producing some blue sparks with a flick of her hand. “Just kidding! There’s always more to learn, and some unsavory things we just don’t really want to do, you know?” she said. “You practice magic too, hm? I can definitely sense it.”</p><p>“Oh, really? I didn’t know that,” Rilla said, looking up at Arum for more than a split-second.</p><p>“Yes,” he said, “Not extensively. I use magic to get to and from my home, and- well. I am an inherently magical creature, like most monsters, so it will always be noticeable to people who know how to look, tktktk.”</p><p>“Huh, that’s incredible,” Damien said. “The only magic I have felt move through me is that of a Saint’s blessing, but- it is quite interesting stuff.”</p><p>“It can really help in the middle of a performance, or in a pinch!” Quanyii said with another strange smirk. “Well, babes, I do have to get a move on. Damien, we are <em>going </em>to finish writing our skit, y’know, one of these months. Before next semester, for sure,” Then Quanyii turned to Rilla. “And I’ll see you around Rilla,” Quanyii winked. Rilla nodded.  </p><p>“Yeah, for sure,” Rilla said, pressing her lips together.  </p><p>“It was nice to meet you, Arum,” Quanyii said, pronouncing his name carefully, like she was so pleased to know it. He didn’t know how she felt about him, couldn’t begin to tell.</p><p>“She seems… nice,” Arum said, once she left.</p><p>“Quanyii is- well, A Lot, first of all,” Rilla said, placing her highlighter on the table and taking a sip of water from a dark blue bottle.  </p><p>“I quite enjoy her company,” Damien said, “though I must admit, I agree with the assessment that she is ‘a lot.’. However, I would be remiss to not recognize that most would also consider <em>me</em> to be, ahem, ‘a lot’.”</p><p>“Awh,” Rilla clicked her tongue. “I mean. You are also A Lot, but, that doesn’t mean you’re ‘too much’. We’re all A Lot in our own ways, anyway,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Oh, my dear Rilla, you are ever so kind,” Damien said with a smile, placing a hand on her forearm. “I suppose you are right that we all have our things that we worry may burden other people,” he said, humming thoughtfully. “But, yes, Quanyii is, um, at a particularly high level of ‘extra’, so to speak,” Damien went on. “She’s a lot of fun, however, if you are not…,” he paused, thinking, and settled on, “down to clown, she can be overwhelming.”</p><p>“Down to clown?” Rilla repeated loudly, laughing.</p><p>“I was at a lack of words! It has been quite the long day, dear Rilla,” Damien huffed. Arum made a quiet noise of amusement in the back of his throat at the look on Damien’s face.</p><p>“Honestly, I think you’re right,” Rilla said once her laughter subsided. “About Quanyii. She’s an agent of chaos, so, when you’re in the mood to clown around, well, she’s your gal,” Rilla shrugged her shoulders.</p><p>“Duly noted,” Arum said. From there, they slowly went back to their studies.</p><p>Just as before, Damien would randomly start talking aloud every so often. Arum would usually glance up when he did, but it was surprisingly easy to get used to. He had a nice voice, and while his manner of speaking was …interesting… it was nice to listen to.</p><p>About 30 minutes later, Arum shut his laptop, and Rilla looked up at him with a tilt of her head.</p><p>“I’m not sure how long the two of you tend to spend, but I’ve finished reading through my materials for tomorrow. I was.. considering getting some food, before the cafeteria shuts down,” Arum told them.</p><p>“Oh,” Rilla said, and then she checked a slim silver watch on her wrist. It was analog. “I’ll still be here for at least another hour. I did promise Marc I’d glance over a report for him later on, but that’s flexible since we, y’know, live together,” Rilla hummed. “I am hungry, though,” Rilla glanced down at her books with a despairing look.</p><p>“I am similarly unfinished with my work. However, food is <em>very </em>tempting,” Damien looked at Rilla and she met his eyes. “I would also greatly appreciate stretching my legs. How about Arum and I get food, and you can stay here, my Rilla? You can watch our stuff. That is,” Damien glanced at Arum, “if you don’t mind me tagging along, friend.”</p><p>“That’s fine,” Arum said, pushing out his chair.  </p><p>Rilla lifted her brows and smiled shyly, “Are you sure, Damien?”</p><p>“Of course,” and Damien stood. Arum stood up as well.</p><p>“Thaaaanks,” Rilla said, her smile turning into a grin. Damien clapped her on the shoulder. “I trust you to pick something I’ll like,” she said, and Damien assured her he would.</p><p>Damien found his wallet and slipped in into his pocket, leaving his satchel. Arum left his things as well, and they wandered out of the library and towards the cafeteria. The library and the cafeteria were blessedly close together.</p><p>“I don’t believe Rilla mentioned, are you in 3<sup>rd</sup> year as well, Arum?” Damien asked, pleasant and conversational.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said. “I considered doing the general program to finish earlier, but I decided last year to go for Biology.”</p><p>“I understand the temptation. I shutter to think of the time Rilla will spend in med school, once all is said and done. I say, she has a constitution unlike many others,” Damien shook his head, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“I could never study long enough to become a doctor, tktktk,” Arum said. Damien chuckled.</p><p>“Totally understandable! I have considered whether or not I want to pursue a doctorate in Creative Writing, however- I’m not exactly sure if it would be beneficial or not, in the long run, and I definitely would not want to study straight through from now until the end of such a degree,” Damien said, gesturing as he spoke. Arum nodded along.</p><p>“I would think that one would need a damn good reason to go to school for that long,” Arum said, and Damien laughed again.</p><p>As they were standing in line, Damien stretched his arms above his head, tilting from side to side, and then lowered his arms and twisted his torso. “Do you participate in any extracurricularsf?”</p><p>“Just the biology society,” Arum said, watching as Damien rolled his shoulders back, and then stretched his neck.</p><p>“Getting ready for a run?” they heard, and turned to see another young woman approach them, coming from the pre-made salad bar in the middle of the court.</p><p>“Just stretching after an hour or so of sitting in the library, dear Caroline,” Damien said, stifling a yawn.</p><p>“Ah, I see. Do you know where your imbecile of a best friend is, by any chance?” Caroline asked, glancing between Damien and Arum.</p><p>“None of my friends are imbeciles!” Damien said.</p><p>“I mean Angelo,” Caroline said, sounding unimpressed.</p><p>“In that case, he is <em>your</em> best friend as well.”</p><p>“Please, Damien, we all know I don’t have friends. Only competitors,” Caroline said, sniffing. “Anyway, the <em>imbecile</em> and I were supposed to be meeting to discuss a presentation we are working on for ‘Gender and Communication’, and I had planned to accost him about it tonight during our Home Safe shift- but! The arsehole switched places with Druhan. I can’t stand that man, honestly, and I cannot believe Angelo would stick me with him,” Caroline grumbled.</p><p>“Oh, Druhan is rather unpleasant, but I’m sure Angelo has good reason for switching out on his shift! However, I haven’t the faintest idea what it would be, it isn’t like he’s sick or anything… I haven’t seen him since breakfast, though. My apologies, Caroline, I can’t help you.”</p><p>Caroline clicked her tongue, “Oh whatever. I suppose I shouldn’t expect you to be useful to me,” she crossed her arms across her chest, and they moved up in line. “Who’s this?” she jut her chin towards Arum.</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Damien said, “this is Arum, a friend of Rilla’s. Arum, this is my <em>friend</em> Caroline,” Damien said, emphasizing the word friend with his voice and eyes. “Well- she’s my best friend’s <em>other</em> best friend, although, Caroline will insist she is friends with nobody, and this is because she is a bitter harpy, but! We care for her just the same,” Damien said, voice joyful, despite the glint in his eyes towards Caroline.</p><p>“I am not bitter,” Caroline said, “I just don’t have the time nor energy for the façade people put up- oh, ‘we’re all best friends even though we met two days ago!’” Caroline made her voice high and happy. “Please,” she said, “I am here to learn, and to best my peers in everything I do, nothing more. Now, it’s your turn to order,” Caroline manhandled Damien towards the register and he made a noise in anger but went up and ordered for himself and Rilla.</p><p>“I suppose that is one way to look at things,” Arum said to Caroline and she just shrugged.</p><p>“I just don’t like the fake-ness. Tell me, has Damien been referring to you as a friend?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said, tilting a head an inch to indicate questioning, “why?”</p><p>“And how long has he known you?”</p><p>“About two hours,” Arum said, and he saw where she was going.</p><p>“Then you are not friends, but acquaintances. At best,” Caroline said with a noise of amusement. “I was exaggerating to say I have <em>no</em> friends here, Angelo is indeed a friend of mine, for instance, Rilla’s brothers as well. However, I don’t throw the word around so loosely as some,” Caroline paused, looking up at the cashier. “Anyway,” she sighed, and then waved Arum forward as Damien left the register to wait for his food.</p><p>Arum didn’t have time to respond, so he didn’t. He could admit, Caroline had a point. He didn’t have too many people he would <em>actually </em>consider friends. Amaryllis was one of them, and he did see the potential in Damien. If pressed, he would agree they might not be at that point of being “friends” yet.</p><p>Regardless, he ordered his food and then waited. Caroline had only bought a pre-made salad and drink, but she stuck around for another few moments speaking with Damien in a harsh tone until she glanced over her shoulder, evidently noticed someone, and yelled,</p><p>“ANGELO!”</p><p>Arum blinked, which was perhaps a strange thing to behold. Being a lizard, he didn’t have typical lids. First of all, he had two lids, one opaque and the other partially translucent and usually hidden. When he blinked suddenly, it was the partially-translucent lid that would raise and lower. He tried not to care, but humans often stared when he did so. This time, it didn’t matter- because anybody who was looking at them was looking at Caroline.</p><p>Damien was waving his hand, and yet another person approached them, a man.</p><p>“Hey!” the man greeted.</p><p>“You bastard, you seriously stuck me with <em>Druhan</em> tonight for Home Safe?” Caroline accused.</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, Caroline! The Accessibility Centre needed someone to set up and help with an event tonight, super last minute, and I’m one of the only volunteers who had the training they need,” Angelo said with a little pout.</p><p>“Ugh. Why do your reasons always have to be so <em>nice</em>? I feel bad for cussing you out, you… <em>goody two shoes</em>,” Caroline said, and Angelo chuckled lightly.</p><p>“Sorry? I mean, not really, I like being a good-doer,” Angelo said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry?” he repeated.</p><p>“Oh whatever,” Caroline waved her hand. “We’ll just have to schedule another time to talk about our presentation.”</p><p>“What presentation?”</p><p>“Gender and Communication.”</p><p>“But… that isn’t until next month,” Angelo said, and Caroline sighed again.</p><p>“We need to at <em>least</em> select the topic that long in advance if we’re to prepare a succinct, top-notch presentation! Really, if you wanted to get off easy you never should have taken a class with me.”</p><p>“You got me there,” Angelo said, “I guess I should be lucky you’d even agree to do a project with me,” Angelo laughed.</p><p>“Nonsense, Angelo, Gender Studies <em>is</em> your best subject,” Damien said, “I’m sure Caroline will be lucky to have <em>you</em> as a presentation partner.”</p><p>“Well, that remains to be seen,” Caroline said. “You <em>all</em> know I run a tight ship. Well, you two, and this one will learn very quickly if this evening doesn’t have him running for the hills,” Caroline pointed her thumb towards Arum. Damien opened his mouth, but was called off to collect his food.</p><p>“Oh, right! Who’s this?” Angelo asked, paying no mind, “I was gonna ask, but, I didn’t get a chance yet.”</p><p>“This is Damien’s friend, Arum,” Caroline said, since Damien was still walking back to them.</p><p>“Nice to meet you!” Angelo said, sticking out his hand. Arum shook it.</p><p>“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too,” Arum told him.</p><p>“What are you studying?”</p><p>“Biology,” Arum said, for what felt like the 100<sup>th</sup> time that night, and then Damien came up next to him.</p><p>“Oh, you’ve been introduced? I would have done it, but, I was called away. And, here, Arum, I brought your food as well, the woman saw we were standing together and offered it, I hope you don’t mind,” Damien rambled, holding out one of the three boxes. Arum took it.</p><p>“Thank you,” Arum said. “Technically, Caroline introduced me, and I have gathered this is… Angelo?” Arum said, hoping he was correct in the name.</p><p>“Oh, sorry! Yes, Angelo is my name! And I am still technically undeclared, but leaning towards Gender and Women’s Studies as my major,” Angelo told him. Arum nodded.</p><p>“Angelo is my best friend, aside from Rilla, of course,” Damien said. “Speaking of, my poor Rilla has been left starving and alone in the library, nothing but her notes surrounding her,” he heaved a sigh, “we should head back.”</p><p>“Well, I’m glad I haven’t eaten yet, because that would surely have made me sick,” Caroline said, and Damien made a face at her. “I do have to get going as well, my Home Safe shift will start soon. Goodbye, boys,” Caroline said.</p><p>Angelo and Damien bid each other goodbye as well, and Damien and Arum went back to the library. Rilla had her nose in her books.</p><p> It looked as if her stuff had multiplied, now sprawling out to the edge of the table where both Damien and Arum’s stuff had been sitting previously.</p><p> When Damien placed a hand on her shoulder, Rilla jumped.</p><p>“Your food, flower,” Damien said with a gentle smile.  </p><p>“Shit, you scared me,” she laughed. “Oh. Um, one second,” Rilla said, and then she hastily started to pull her belonging back into a pile, pushing them towards the middle of the table. Once there was space, Damien placed her food box down in front of her, and sat with his own. “Thanks,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Think nothing of it, Rilla, nothing at all,” Damien said, opening his box. He turned to his bag and pulled out a set of collapsible cutlery. Rilla produced one of her own from her bag as well. Arum had grabbed a plastic fork, not used to eating on campus.</p><p>Before long, though, Damien continued speaking, “So, Arum has now been introduced to <em>more</em> of our friend group. Quanyii, Caroline, and Angelo. It would only be Marc and Tal left, at least for immediate friends we see all of the time,” Damien said.</p><p>“Oh, I’ve met Marc and Talfryn already,” Arum said, his fork mid-air. “Amaryllis invited me to her apartment after class the first week,” Arum finished his explanation and resumed eating.</p><p>“Oh! Well, then.”</p><p>“I cannot guarantee I will remember any of their names, by the way, but I will try. That is, if I don’t run for the hills, tktktk,” Arum trilled, his voice taking a note of amusement.</p><p>“Awh, why would you do that?” Rilla asked around her fork. “Run away, I mean.”</p><p>“I did just say he met Caroline, did I not?” Damien said, and Rilla chewed with her mouth shut.</p><p>“Fair enough,” Rilla said as she swallowed and stabbed at her food again. “Don’t let Caroline scare you away from my other friends! She hardly even counts as <em>my</em> friend, after all,” Rilla said, chewing. She managed to mostly swallow again before adding, “I don’t know why Marc and Angelo like her so much.”</p><p>“I won’t,” Arum said, and then went on, “let that scare me away, that is. I must admit, though… your friend group is much more hostile than I expected? At least that keeps it interesting, I assume,” Arum said.</p><p>“Oh, we’re not <em>so</em> bad,” Damien said, “and at least Marc and I like each other now! If you wished to see hostile, oh.. first year,” Damien laughed, but there was something a bit dark there.</p><p>“Yeah… let’s not go back to that,” Rilla said, before shoveling another forkful into her mouth and shaking her head.</p><p>Damien ate much more carefully than she did. At least, he might have tasted it before it was finished.</p><p>Arum ate mostly in silence, left wondering what on earth he’d gotten himself in to by agreeing, one time, to study with Amaryllis’ ‘best friend’. He hadn’t realized he’d been signing up to an entire group of people, but, well- it seemed that was the implication.</p><p>“Arum, you never got to telling me if you’re much more involved on campus. It’s just the biology society, nothing else?”</p><p>“Not.. really. I live off-campus, and don’t tend to stick around unless I have a specific reason, tktktk,” Arum shrugged.</p><p>“Have you ever been to the Open Mic Night?” Damien asked, and his eyes were glinting again.</p><p>“Damien,” Rilla said.</p><p>“What?” Damien asked, raising a brow, a smirk on his face. Arum’s eyes narrowed in question.</p><p>“I have not,” Arum said, “why?”</p><p>“You should come! We got almost every second week, and Rilla <em>sings</em>,” Damien said. Arum blinked.</p><p>“Really?” he asked, and Rilla pressed her lips together.</p><p>“I do, yes. You don’t have to come, though! I don’t want you to feel pressured,” Rilla said.</p><p>“I would like to, unless you don’t want me to, tktktk.”</p><p>“No, it’s not that! I just don’t want you to feel obligated. Most of our friends go, but that doesn’t mean everyone who likes me a little bit needs to show up,” Rilla said, rubbing the side of her neck.</p><p>“She’s a very good singer, though, and you <em>should</em> come,” Damien said, and Rilla scoffed. “Not just to support, or out of obligation, either! So you can <em>spend time</em> with us,” Damien went on, though he was glancing at Rilla as much as often as he was looking over at Arum.</p><p>Rilla shook her head, then looked back at Arum. She took in a breath through her nose. “You’re welcome to join us, really. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to, just because you’re my friend. Not everyone likes live performances by amateurs, I understand. But, if you want to, you should come,” Rilla finished.</p><p>“I’d like to attend,” Arum said with a nod.</p><p>“Okay,” Rilla said. “It’s every Thursday night. We try to go every second Thursday, because weekly commitments are, like… A Lot.” Rilla hummed. “Oh! And there’s a bonus, if you come to Open Mic Night,” Rilla said, looking over at Damien pointedly. Arum tilted his head again.</p><p>Damien also raised a brow at her, mouthing, “what?”</p><p>Rilla smirked, and then looked back at Arum, “Most of the songs I sing are actually Damien’s poetry, so you can hear my singing and his work at the same time! It’s a two-for-one deal,” Rilla said with a laugh.</p><p>“Oh, right,” Damien said with a wave of his hand. “I mean, hearing my poetry is hardly a special treat, Rilla, for everything I say is poetry and I <em>frequently</em> start to recite my words aloud without a moment’s notice. Admittedly, the songs are some of my most polished work, which is nice, but,” Damien shrugged.</p><p>“I would still like to hear your songs sung,” Arum said plainly. “Have you ever… read your poetry, at the Open Mic Night?” Arum asked.  </p><p>Damien hmmed. “No, actually. It’s… never occurred to me.”</p><p>“Well, as I said, I haven’t been to any on campus, but it’s my understanding that people often read slam poety at those things. So. Why not? Espeically if you like recite so much.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t describe most of my poetry as ‘slam’, but you do have a point,” Damien pulled a face. “I usually do my <em>true</em> performances at Performance Night with the Theatre Society, but those events are closed to members, so, I suppose I’d have a bigger audience at Open Mic.” Damien laughed, “Caroline will have your head for this suggestion, if I do decide to start performing!”</p><p>“Yes, well… we can always not tell her it was my idea. I don’t think I’m on her bad side, yet, and I would like to keep it that way,” Arum said. Damien and Rilla laughed.</p><p>Rilla glanced over at Arum, a smile on her face. Arum looked back at her.</p><p>“What?” he said, a few moments later.</p><p>“Nothing,” Rilla said, glancing at the table and back again. “I’m just… glad. That you’re getting along with my friends,” she said, soft but firm.</p><p>“Ah,” Arum said.</p><p>“I know we can <em>all</em> be A Lot,” Rilla said. “I wasn’t kidding when I said that, earlier,” she added, glancing over at Damien again. Then, she looked back at Arum for a split second.  </p><p>“True,” Damien said.</p><p>“But, yeah. I’m just happy you’re, I dunno, having a good time? I think, anyway,” Rilla said.</p><p>“I am,” Arum confirmed.</p><p>“Good,” Rilla cleared her throat. “I should get back to studying, before I have to go home and help out Marc.”</p><p>“Right,” Arum said.</p><p>“I can collect our garbage and bring it out to the receptacle,” Damien offered, standing up and folding his cutlery before picking up his empty food box.</p><p>“How kind of you, Sir Damien,” Rilla said with a smile, offering her trash. Damien flashed her a smile in return, and took Arum’s as well, walking away.</p><p>“You do actually like my friends, right?” Rilla asked quickly, once Damien was out of earshot.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said. “I very much enjoy Damien’s company, and Angelo seems… incredibly nice. You know I like Marc, and Talfryn. Caroline and Quanyii are… fine,” Arum scrunched his face for a moment and Rilla snorted.</p><p>“I mean, that’s basically how I feel about all of those people. I do actually really like Quanyii, but… small doses are best,” Rilla whispered the last part. Arum chuckled.</p><p>“I can understand that,” Arum said.</p><p>Rilla smiled again, leaning in a bit closer since her voice was hushed. “It’s just… really nice, that you like my friends. I didn’t <em>mean </em>for you to be automatically integrated into my friend group just because you met Damien and my brothers, but, I guess- I shouldn’t be surprised that Damien of all people would try to draw you in immediately. The only one worse for that is Angelo,” Rilla explained. “I dunno, I don’t want to make things weird, or be too presumptuous, but- it’d be nice if you wanted to hang out with us more, is what I’m trying to say,” Rilla breathed out, shaking her head.</p><p>“You… needn’t fret. It’s, uh, not like I’m going to be upset that you want to.. become my friend outside of the lab? That’s- a positive thing,” Arum said, and Rilla nodded.</p><p>“Right, of course. I’m sorry, I’ve been rambling. It’s been a long week,” Rilla said.</p><p>“It’s only Wednesday, tktktk,” Arum said, and Rilla laughed. He chuckled too.</p><p>“I stand by my statement,” Rilla said firmly.</p><p>“Well. I am enjoying spending time with you, and Damien. So… I won’t be put off if you keep inviting me to things,” Arum said. Rille smiled once more.</p><p>“Good to know. In that case, I will invite you to more things.”</p><p>Rilla glanced over her shoulder, catching Damien’s eye as he stood near a tall bird monster. Damien looked back to the person, said something, and then walked back, and took his spot next to Rilla.</p><p>“Did you know that person?” Rilla asked when he sat down.</p><p>“I walked them home Friday, during my Home Safe shift. They were just saying thank you, to which I replied, I need no extra thanks for simply doing my job as a volunteer, helping people to arrive safely at their dorms at night.”</p><p>“Oh, Sir Damien,” Rilla said with an amused sigh.</p><p>“What? You say that in a peculiar tone, and yet- you’re implying that I am a knightly person, which, you know, is one of the highest compliments you could give me.”</p><p>“Oh, I know,” Rilla smirked.</p><p>“Then it is my ego you stroke, purposefully, you wonderful menace of a woman,” Damien said, and Rilla laughed. “Are you not supposed to be studying? As well, I should probably be packing up, I have to look over some notes that I left at <em>mine own dormitory</em>,” saying that, Damien start to put his books away.</p><p>“You sound tired,” Rilla observed. “And, <em>yes</em>, I do need to keep studying. See you tomorrow, then.”</p><p>“Goodnight, dear Rilla,” Damien said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.</p><p>“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Arum said.</p><p>“Oh, but the pleasure was all mine, Arum,” Damien said with a sincere smile. “I hope to see you again soon, and if not, I will at least catch you at Open Mic Night next week.”</p><p>“Yes, certainly,” Arum said. Damien squeezed Rilla’s shoulder, and then walked away.</p><p>Arum and Rilla continued to study for another 45 minutes or so, until Rilla had to go back to her dorm where she lived in an apartment-style room with Marc and Talfryn. Arum walked her outside before he walked a little ways into the forest next to the campus and portaled back to his keep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Only three days had passed before Damien and Arum met once again.</p><p>Damien was sitting on the grass near some bushes in the main courtyard, staring at the flowers growing on said bushes. By some miracle, the moment he finally tore his gaze away to glance around himself, he caught the lizard’s striking eye, so Damien waved.</p><p>Arum was walking in his general direction on the paved footpath. When Damien waved, he slowed before veering off the path in Damien’s direction.  </p><p>“Hi,” Arum said, and Damien looked up at him, craning his neck. Arum was… quite tall.</p><p>“Hello, friend!” Damien said, lifting a hand to hold over his eyes to block out the remaining sun not blocked by Arum himself.  </p><p>“What’s… up?” Arum asked. It was a normal enough thing to say, but he felt awkward anyway.</p><p>“I’m searching for inspiration,” Damien said. “Are you on your way to class?”</p><p>“Just finished,” Arum replied.</p><p>“Feel free to sit, if you’d like- of course, you don’t have to,” Damien said, smoothing out the blanket he was sitting on. Arum took a seat.</p><p>“What sort of inspiration are you looking for?” Arum asked, then he screwed up his face a bit, “is that a normal thing to ask a creative?”</p><p>Damien laughed, “I don’t know. I am looking for a particular sort of inspiration, in this case. That is, floral inspiration. I’ve been given the prompt in one of my classes to write a poem on the subject of <em>flowers</em>, demonstrating one of the two techniques we learned this week. It’s a classic, to write about nature, so it’s very open-ended and therefore… incredibly overwhelming. I have asked Saint Damien for his tranquility and he has granted it, yet, no inspiration has followed- I supposed I should request inspiration from Saint Catherine instead, of course, as hers is the realm of creativity- though, often enough, Saint Damien does the trick,” Damien huffed out a breath, realizing he was rambling. “Anyway,” he said, “I thought, perhaps, to be inspired by flowers, I should… look at them.”</p><p>“That’s logically sound,” Arum said. Damien snorted.</p><p>“Thank you. It’s not every day I hear that, hm?” Damien chuckled, “I jest. I have decided, though! I want to narrow my scope, by choosing a specific flower to write on- flowers in general is just.. too broad. Far too broad. But now I am stuck, as I need to pick <em>one</em> flower, and that is… also difficult.”</p><p>“I see, tktktk,” Arum trilled his tongue, and thought. Before he could offer any wise (or not so wise) words, Damien continued on,</p><p>“My first thought, which may be obvious, was that <em>Amaryllis</em> is a flower, yes? Then I thought better of it, it’s… a bit much, don’t you think? Too on the nose, perhaps,” Damien frowned. Arum tilted his head. “So, no, I will not write about the Amaryllis and certainly not about Rilla- so, other flowers! My next inclination was the rose, but that’s rather cliché, and basic, as much as I enjoy them personally. Dahlias, maybe? That’s still not sticking,” Damien sighed irritably.  </p><p>“That’s.. rough,” Arum said. “Honeysuckle,” he said plainly, a moment later.  </p><p>Damien blinked. “I.. like it,” he said, “Yes,” he nodded. “It’s not the first flower I would think of, but… I think it will work.”</p><p>“The honeysuckle, it’s… delicate, poetic. It suits you,” Arum said. Damien chuckled.</p><p>“I will take that as a compliment?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said.</p><p>“Good,” Damien said. He picked up the notebook next to him, and flipped it open, scrawling <em>Honeysuckle </em>in large, loopy letters across the page. “Thank you, greatly, Arum. Only the Saint’s know how long it would have taken me to settle on something without you here,” Damien said with a smile.</p><p>“No worries, tktktk,” Arum gave a shrug. Damien started scribbling on his page, before speaking aloud a somewhat random string of words, and then scrawling on his page again.</p><p>“Oh!” Damien said, about five minutes later, looking over at Arum. Arum was inspecting the grass on the ground.</p><p>“Hmmm?” Arum looked at Damien.</p><p>“Have you been invited to the party at Rilla’s yet? On Friday.”</p><p>“Amaryllis mentioned it, yes, but she had to run to some extracurricular before she could explain the purpose of the party.”</p><p>“Oh, there’s no purpose,” Damien said. “Marc just likes to throw parties and Rilla and Tal must put up with it. Angelo is also a big fan of the parties, so, between him and Rilla I’m in attendance at each and every one. But, if you, too, like to party, you should join us! It’s a.. good excuse to get drunk,” Damien said with a faint noise of amusement in his nose.</p><p>“I… will, perhaps, consider showing up, then,” Arum said. Damien smirked.</p><p>“I look forward to seeing you there,” Damien said, adding, “hopefully,” as an afterthought. Then, he dropped his gaze back to his poetry and muttered his last few lines under his breath.</p><p>In another few minutes, Damien sighed and looked back up. “What?” Arum said.</p><p>“What do you know about flowers?” Damien asked.</p><p>“Well… the varieties that grow near my home, quite a lot, actually.”</p><p>“Tell me,” Damien requested.</p><p>“Uh. Okay,” Arum said, and Damien closed his notebook over one finger as Arum launched into a discussion about a few of the plants that grew near his Keep, starting with native species.</p><p>Damien listened attentively, nodding along, and asking questions. Occasionally, he would flip open his notebook, ask Arum to “Hold that thought” and write something down. Then, he would ask Arum to continue.  </p><p>They went on like that for at least 30 minutes, until Damien was scribbling more and more.</p><p>“Is this.. helpful?” Arum asked after a moment or two.</p><p>“Immensely. It’s always great to draw inspiration from somebody who knows a topic deeply, so I can better portray it, and, even if I am portraying something inaccurately, I know what I am doing. It’s helpful, to the process,” Damien said.</p><p>“Oh, in that case… I could tell you more about the honeysuckle specifically?” Arum offered.</p><p>“Oh, what a splendid idea,” Damien folded his notebook over again.</p><p>Arum lunched into a more detailed explanation of the honeysuckle, Damien nodding along and scribbling things down as he did. Some minutes later, he trailed off, looking at Damien writing in his notebook.</p><p>Damien eventually looked back up and flashed Arum a bright smile.</p><p>“Thank you, thank you. This will certainly help me- and, I will read you the poem when it is finished! This is not negotiable,” Damien said, and Arum chuckled.</p><p>“I look forward to hearing it,” Arum said, and Damien laughed along with him. A moment later, Damien pulled out a cell phone and scrolled through it.</p><p>“Well, it seems I’ve almost run out of time before my next engagement, so I should be on my way,” Damien said, beginning to stand “Thank you, again, for helping me,” Damien told him.</p><p>Arum nodded, “You’re welcome.” He stood up, and Damien picked up his blanket to fold it.</p><p>“Until we meet again,” Damien said, “I really do hope you’ll come to Marc’s party on Friday. It’s sure to be a good time,” Damien told him.</p><p>Arum nodded again, “I… might make an appearance. Good luck finishing your poem, Honeysuckle.”</p><p>Damien laughed, “Oh, is this my nickname now?”</p><p>“Yes, tktktk,” Arum smirked. Damien laughed again.</p><p>“Okay,” Damien smiled. His cheeks felt just a touch warm.</p><p>“See you around,” Arum said, and Damien nodded before they went their separate ways.</p><p>Damien trailed back to his dorm before meeting up with Angelo to go get food. Being in single dorms, they were forced to eat at the residence cafeteria, but at least they could do it together.</p><p>“Hey!” Angelo greeted him as they met in the tiny hall before their bedroom doors. Their rooms were side by side with a shared bathroom between them, which was convenient in the grand scheme of things.</p><p>“Hello, dear Angelo,” Damien said. “Just allow me to drop off my things and we can be on our way.”</p><p>“Sure thing,” Angelo said, leaning against the doorframe as Damien unpacked some of his books and put his blanket in the laundry hamper.</p><p>“How was your day?”</p><p>“It was good! Caroline and I have decided on our presentation topic. I set a meeting with my advisor this Friday, and Talfryn informed me there will be a party at his place that very same day!”</p><p>“Yes, and I will be in attendance. Are you planning on going?” Damien asked, as if that was even a question. It was polite, anyway. He walked out of the door, they locked their doors, and started down the hall.</p><p>“Naturally! Caroline said she and Quanyii will both be there. I can only assume Rilla will be going?” Angelo asked.</p><p>“Well, yes,” Damien said. “It’s at her apartment,” he furrowed his brows.</p><p>Angelo smirked at Damien. “You know, I was thinking, that a party just like this one would be an <em>excellent </em>opportunity for you...”</p><p>“Angelo…” Damien said slowly, turning his head towards his friend as they descended the stairs.</p><p>“Yes, my dear Damien?” Angelo asked.</p><p>“I don’t want to hear it,” Damien said. They paused to swipe their cards in the entrance of the residence cafeteria. It was a bit early, so it wasn’t incredibly busy.</p><p>“You <em>must</em> tell Rilla about your feelings!” Angelo said, and Damien paled considerably.</p><p>“Keep your voice down, man,” Damien hissed, and they grabbed trays.</p><p>Angelo stage whispered. “Sorry. You <em>must</em> confess your love to Rilla!” he said again, and Damien scowled.</p><p>“We will talk about <em>that</em> once we are seated,” Damien told him, and Angelo perked a brow.</p><p>“Oh? Talk about it how? Do you have a plan-,” Angelo gasped, “have you decided to a dramatic reveal? Something like a promposal, but for a normal date? Oh, this is gonna be great.”</p><p>“No, no, nothing like that, you fool! We have… a problem. I will tell you in a few minutes,” Damien grit his teeth, and Angelo relented. They both picked up their food, and found a booth near the wall without too many people nearby.</p><p>“So.. what is it?” Angelo asked.</p><p>Damien sighed, looking down at his plate. He had been hungry, until the prospect of having this conversation came up. “I swear,” Damien said, “I had really planned to do it, this coming weekend. The weekend past, I wrote it all out, explaining the depths of my affection for Rilla- it was all planned out, I swear! But, now, it’s become apparent... I cannot do this,” Damien heaved a sigh again.</p><p>“Okay, okay. And, why not?” Angelo asked, in a gentle voice. His face was persistent, though. Damien whined in the back of his throat. Angelo started eating his food while he waited for the explanation.</p><p>“I believe, my dear Angelo, that Rilla’s own affections lie with somebody else.”  </p><p>“Whaaaat?” Angelo snorted. “Damien! There’s no way. Pssh, who would Rilla even like right now?” Angelo gave him a serious face, and Damien pouted right back at him.</p><p>“Her new friend, Arum,” Damien said glumly, and Angelo twisted his face up in disbelief.</p><p>“Oh, come on. You’ve been Rilla’s best friend for three years! She’s known him for, what, three weeks now? You’re not gonna let that dissuade you, Damien, really,” Angelo’s face was incredulous.</p><p>“I can’t step in the way of Rilla’s happiness!” Damien stressed. “I have indeed known Rilla for three years, I know when she has affections for somebody. You should have seen how she looked at him, Angelo! If you had you’d know that what I say is true.”</p><p>“Hm… okaaay,” Angelo said slowly. “You <em>promise</em> you’re not just using this as an excuse to put off asking Rilla out for another year or so?”</p><p>Damien spluttered, “Uh-wuh-bu-No! I am <em>not</em>,” Damien said, “and I take great offence that you are implying such a thing, Angelo, really. I would <em>love</em> to tell Rilla how I have longed for her since the day I met her, and that no matter how many dates I go on, I can’t fathom looking into anyone’s eyes but her own- but, I cannot, not when she has such strong feelings for another. Perhaps her affections for Arum will pass and I may have a chance, but, until then,” Damien huffed out a sigh.</p><p>Angelo regarded Damien skeptically, but let out a little sigh of his own. “Of course,” Angelo said, smiling softly.</p><p>“Indeed,” Damien said, and then he cleared his throat. “And I must say, I can hardly even blame her! Have you seen his eyes, Angelo? They’re the most striking violet colour, they are quite enchanting,” Damien mused, “and that voice,” Damien murmured. Angelo gave him a perplexed look. “oh, dear me,” Damien muttered.</p><p> “Still!” Angelo said, “we can just hope that nothing happens between them, what with how charming and bewitching the lizard seems to be,” Angelo chuckled, and Damien snapped his eyes back to Angelo, drawn from where his mind had wandered. “Without directly interfering, of course.”</p><p>“Yes,” Damien said, “we will simply… wait, and see.. and hope that she and Arum don’t fall in love and decide to elope with one another- though, if that were to happen, I would be nothing but happy for my dear Rilla because that would mean that she’s found someone to spend her life with, someone good, and quite handsome I might add, and that’s just- fantastic,” Damien sounded pained as he rambled, and Angelo sighed again.</p><p>“Yeah!” Angelo laughed awkwardly, “but that probably won’t happen anyway, so good thing we don’t have to worry about that. Hey, Dame, I forgot to ask, are you still going to the archery range this Saturday? The monthly tournament is on, right?”</p><p>“Oh, yes,” Damien said, nodding. He finally started to poke at his food and actually eat some of it. “I was indeed planning on going, and I believe Rilla booked it off as well to come watch. Will you be there?”</p><p>“You know it!” Angelo said, and Damien smiled.</p><p>“Thankfully it’s later in the day, and I will do my best to avoid partaking in <em>too</em> much drink the night before. Wouldn’t want to get too sick, hm?” Damien said, and Angelo laughed.</p><p>“Not like that time I showed up at lo-ri dueling half-drunk last year? Yeesh, I think I can still hear Caroline’s screaming in my ear. And I didn’t even touch a sword!”</p><p>Damien laughed loudly and Angelo smiled, counting it as a success. They recounted the further details of the time Angelo had gotten day-drunk and then tried to go dueling at campus’ recreational centre, where Caroline worked as a referee, keeping the patrons safe. That story lead to other drunken tales, and soon enough their plates were clean.</p><p>As they left the cafeteria, Damien turned to Angelo and said, “Thank you, my good man.”</p><p>“Ah, it’s nothing!” Angelo said, and then tilted his head, “for what Damien?”</p><p>Damien just shook his head and smiled, “Nothing,” he said. Angelo laughed bemusedly, and they walked back up to their rooms to study.</p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>“Oh wow, Rilla, I am incredibly impressed by the state of your room,” Damien said as he walked into her bedroom on Friday.</p><p>“Oh, fuck off,” Rilla said, a hint of amusement in her voice. Damien smiled at her, snickering, and took a sip of his canned cider. It was alcoholic, but not too strong.</p><p>“I can <em>sit</em> on your bed,” Damien said, doing just that, smoothing out the purple comforter, “and you can even put something down on your desk!”</p><p>“Would you like your bed-sitting privileges to be revoked?” Rilla huffed.</p><p>“No,” Damien said simply, and she sat next to him. “You look nice, tonight, Rilla! Not that you don’t always look nice,” he said.</p><p>“Suck-up,” Rilla said, and Damien placed a hand on his chest.</p><p>“Rilla! I would never. I only speak the truth- my heart, I speak my heart, and you know this,” Damien said.</p><p>“Right, of course,” Rilla said with a laugh. She sipped her own drink. “Where did Angelo go?” she asked, and Damien just shrugged.</p><p>“He was with us just a second ago,” he said, and Rilla shrugged herself.</p><p>“Oh,” she said, standing up and going to her bedside table, “I took your extra meds from the bathroom cupboard and brought them here for tomorrow morning,” she said, pulling it open to show him the orange bottle before shutting it again.</p><p>“Oh, thank you, dear Rilla, I would have entirely forgot. Would <em>not</em> want to leave those in a public area such as the bathroom in the middle of a party,” Damien pulled a face, and Rilla nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, I sincerely hope people don’t just root through our stuff but… I don’t have that much faith,” Rilla muttered.</p><p>“Well, I do try to have faith in people, and I believe most individuals to be good, but… I agree that we should be cautious. Thank you, again,” he said. From the living room, they heard some music start to play.</p><p>“Of course, Damien,” she said, sitting next to him and bumping his shoulder. Damien smiled at her brightly. They both sipped their drinks. A moment later, her name was called from the living room. She turned her face towards the door and yelled, “WHAT?”</p><p>“I said,” Talfryn appeared in the doorway, a few moments later, “your friend Arum is here. Marc is trying to get him to take a shot.”</p><p>“Oh, seriously?” Rilla asked, and Damien laughed. “I’ll go rescue him. Is anybody else here?”</p><p>“Just Angelo. He’s trying to fix that loose doorhandle on the cupboard above the fridge that neither of us cared enough to climb on a chair to fix.”</p><p>“Ah, I was wondering where he went,” Damien said. “As well, I wouldn’t trust the provided chairs enough to stand on them, if I were you,” he turned up his nose.</p><p>“Fair,” Tal said.</p><p>Rilla got up, and Damien stood with her, and the three of them trailed back out into the living room/dining room/kitchen area.</p><p>“Hey,” Rilla said, walking up to Arum and Marc, who were near the counter. There was a group of bottles and a stack of plastic shot cups, as well as full sized cups. On the kitchen table, there were a bunch of bags of snacks. “Looks like Damien bullied you into coming after all, huh?” Rilla said, looking between Damien and Arum.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Damien said, and Rilla snickered.</p><p>“I didn’t claim he <em>bullied</em> me,” Arum said, and Marc snorted.</p><p>“I did no such thing! Rillaaa!” Damien said, and Rilla laughed louder, finishing off her drink.</p><p>“I also hear Marc is trying to bully you into taking a shot, Arum?”</p><p>“Ah, I see, she’s defining ‘bully’ as, “pose a good reason to do something”. Clever, Rilla, though generally definitions of words don’t usually change so loosely,” Marc said, and Rilla rolled her eyes.  </p><p>“I wouldn’t say that’s what I’m doing,” Rilla said carefully. “Clearly, I just like to drive you too bonkers,” Rilla said.</p><p>“And you do it with great success and accuracy,” Angelo said, clapping his hand on her shoulder. “I have also had a success, the knob on your cupboard is no longer loose!”</p><p>“Thanks,” Marc said, flashing a smile at Angelo. “We should do shots.”</p><p>“It’s still a bit early for that, isn’t it?” Damien asked. “Quanyii isn’t even here yet.”</p><p>And, as if by magic, the front door was flung open.</p><p>“Let’s get this party <em>STARTED!” </em>Quanyii yelled, bouncing into the room with Caroline and a small horde of people trailing behind, mostly theatre friends. She propped open the door and went over to the phone that was hooked up to the speaker, turning the volume way up. She brought a bag with a couple more bottles over to the kitchen table and turned to the group of them with a grin.</p><p>“Did I just hear someone say shots?” Marc asked, “I could have sworn I heard someone say shots.”</p><p>“Oh, babes, I <em>definitely</em> said shots,” Quanyii said. “Angelo,” Quanyii said, and Angelo laughed.</p><p>“Yes, ma’am,” he said, and he shuffled around them to start pouring the aforementioned shots.</p><p>“Oh, dear,” Damien muttered, and Rilla shook her head. She refilled her drink, and took the shot Angelo offered her in the other hand.</p><p>“Double-fisting already, are we?” Caroline asked as she joined their little group. A few more people wandered into their living room, and Marc and Angelo both greeted them with shouts.</p><p>“I wasn’t planning on it, but, apparently shots are mandatory in this household,” Rilla said, and Caroline snorted. She, too, accepted a shot when she was offered one from Quanyii.</p><p>“Okay! Cheers, everyone,” Quanyii said, and everyone did as she commanded, raising their cups and tilting the shots back. Quanyii tended to have that affect, most of the time.</p><p>“Blech,” Damien said, and Rilla pulled a face. Then, their eyes connected and they both laughed.</p><p>A few others laughed, too, at the faces and groans. After that, their group started to disperse.</p><p>Marc wheeled away from them to go mingle with a the guests that had just arrived, and Angelo followed along. And Caroline and Quanyii went to sit on the couch with some of people they came with.</p><p>“Hey,” Rilla said, placing a hand on Arum’s upper arm. She jerked her head to the side, “c’mon,” she said.</p><p>With that, Damien, Rilla, Arum, and Talfryn snuck back down the hallway, past another few people, and into Rilla’s room. She shut the door most of the way, breathing out a sigh.</p><p>“We’ve escaped,” Rilla said, and Damien snickered.</p><p>Damien went straight to her bed, placing his opened can on her bedside table and sitting down. Talfryn pulled out the chair at Rilla’s desk, and Rilla pushed some of her stuff on the desk further back to hop on top of it. Arum trailed in and sat next to Damien on Rilla’s bed.</p><p>“So… how was everyone’s week at school?” Talfryn asked, and Damien spoke up right away.</p><p>“It went swimmingly, dear Talfryn, thank you for asking. I have an essay due next week that I got started on last night, ahead of schedule, which was quite exciting indeed.”</p><p>“Ahead.. of schedule? What does that mean? I don’t.. I can’t understand it, what you just said,” Rilla said slowly, over-emphasizing her confusion. The others snickered.</p><p>“Well, my darling flower, doing something ‘ahead’ of ‘schedule’ is exactly that, when you make a schedule, but you do things before you had planned to. It’s quite simple really, though much more difficult to achieve in reality than it sounds on paper.”</p><p>Rilla scrunched her nose, “Nope, it’s not making any sense. Things can only go <em>behind</em> schedule, <em>ahead</em> of schedule doesn’t happen. I’m not sure it even exists, and, I don’t say that lightly, because there’s a world of infinite possibilities out there.”</p><p>The group laughed at her and Rilla seemed satisfied, taking a long sip from her drink. The sound of voices from outside the door increased, as did the sound of the music.</p><p>Rilla bopped her shoulders to the music and Damien asked Talfryn how he was doing. Once Talfryn filled them in on his week, and Damien turned the line of questioning to Arum.</p><p>“Well,” Arum said, “my week was not overly eventful, Honeysuckle. The biology society is hosting a bake sale next week, though,” he offered.</p><p>“Honeysuckle?” Rilla muttered, but neither of them stopped to explain.</p><p>“Oh!” Damien, “I have yet to read you your poem, Arum,” he said, then he touched his pocket. “Naturally, I don’t have it with me, my apologies! Unfortunately, I don’t have it memorized, either. Yet.”</p><p>“His poem?” Rilla said, more loudly this time, “Also. Arum, did I just hear you call Damien Honeysuckle?” she asked, looking both amused and confused.</p><p>“You did,” Arum said.</p><p>“Yes!” Damien said, “Arum helped me <em>immensely</em> the other day, with a poem I was stuck writing for a class. I was given instruction to write about flowers, in order to demonstrate one of the poetic forms we learned about. I wished to narrow down the prompt to a specific flower to write about, and Arum suggested Honeysuckle for me.”</p><p>“It suits him,” Arum said simply, shrugging.</p><p>“I… agree,” Rilla said slowly, her cup in front of her lips. She took a sip of her drink, laughing through her nose after she swallowed.</p><p>A moment later, Rilla’s door was pushed open.</p><p>“Hey party people!” Marc said, wheeling in behind Angelo, who was holding a tall re-usable cup with a straw poking out</p><p>“Oh no, they’ve found us,” Rilla said, and Marc rolled his eyes. Angelo went to lean against the windowsill.</p><p>“You wound me,” Marc said.</p><p>“You could at least shut the door, next thing you know-“ Rilla said. Before she could finish her sentence, she was cut off.</p><p>“Hey baaaabes,” Quanyii bounced into the room and leaned on the desk next to Rilla, right beside the bed where Arum was sitting. “Not drunk enough to come dance, Rilla?”</p><p>“Not yet,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Well, I have just the medicine for that ailment, Doctor!” Quanyii said, tipping her cup into Rilla’s.</p><p>Rilla spluttered, and some of the others laughed at the show.</p><p>“Quanyii,” Rilla groaned. “Are we even drinking the same thing?”</p><p>“Who cares? Drink up,” Quanyii said, lifting Rilla’s cup from the bottom towards her mouth. Rilla scowled at her, but drank from her cup. Then, she made a face that indicated it wasn’t so bad after all. “So, how’s everyone doing this fine night? Ready to have fun? Ready to black out?” Quanyii asked.</p><p>Angelo answered her question of how he was doing in earnest, and when he was finished, only let a beat pass before he said, “Damien, we’ve got next game of Beer Pong out there, so you better hurry up and finish your drink.”</p><p>“By god, man, give me more warning than that!” Damien said, but he picked up his can and drank from it.</p><p>“Oops,” Angelo said, to Damien.</p><p>Meanwhile, Quanyii had started drilling Arum with questions, and Rilla was running interference. Marc and Talfryn were discussing something about a non-school related project they were pursuing.</p><p>“I will be back,” Damien said, in the general direction of Rilla and Arum. Rilla waved her fingers at him before he left.</p><p>Damien followed Angelo out to the kitchen, where the snacks had been piled onto the counter and the coffee table in order to turn the dining table into a beer pong table. Damien grabbed a second can of his cider, already feeling the first begin to settle into his cheeks.</p><p>“Ready to be bested?” Damien said to the people they were facing off, a young monster woman with a small twitchy nose and two long ears, and another with light skin and long green hair.</p><p>“Nope! Ready to take you two down, though,” the first girl said, her voice a happy chirp. Angelo laughed.</p><p>Their game was a close call, but Damien and Angelo won. They played one more round against two cat monster, which they also won, quite joyously.</p><p>After that, Damien took a few minutes to chat with some of the other partygoers that he recognized, mostly from the theatre program or people he knew from dueling, archery, or the Home Safe program.</p><p>Before too long, though, he made his way back to Rilla’s room. By that point, Rilla was sitting on the bed with her arm pressed against Arum’s, a couple random people from her program standing nearby talking to her about something. Quanyii was nowhere to be found, and Talfryn was talking to one of his friends, a woman named Nora with blue skin and hair that looked as if it were made of water. The main light had been turned off, leaving only Rilla’s desk lamp and some string lights above her bed illuminating the space.</p><p>Damien went to lean on the desk in the spot Quanyii had been in earlier, next to Arum.</p><p>Arum looked over at him, asking, “Did you win, Honeysuckle, tktktk?” He took a sip from a cup he’d acquired at some point.</p><p>“Of course I did!” Damien said with a boastful chuckle. “Angelo and I are undefeated. We are the two best Beer Pong players on this campus. It only gets serious when we are playing against one another,” Damien said, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“How impressive,” Arum said, with only a hint of sarcasm. He smiled, though, and Damien laughed.</p><p>“Hey,” Rilla said as her friends split off, talking to another new person who was familiar enough with Rilla to just wander into her room. “Did you win?”</p><p>“Yes,” Damien said.</p><p>“Good job,” Rilla said. “I need to get a new drink,” she said, with a sigh, looking down at her cup. Damien held out his hand to take her cup.</p><p>“Worry not, dear Rilla, I will fetch you a drink.”</p><p>“Awwwh,” Rilla said, and then she laughed, “what a totally unexpected outcome!”</p><p>“Surely, it is. How could you ever predict that when you announced you needed a drink, I would offer to get it for you, my darling flower?”</p><p>“Thanks, Sir Damien,” Rilla smiled sweetly.</p><p>“Think nothing of it,” Damien said, and then he left again.</p><p>Damien drank some of his own cider and poured Rilla a new drink, getting caught up talking to another few people he recognized. The conversation lasted a bit longer, and he grabbed an extra can of his cider before heading back to Rilla’s room.</p><p>There were still about four or five of Rilla’s friends in her room, plus Talfryn and Arum. Quanyii was back,  sitting on the desk, and Angelo was there as well, standing next to her.  </p><p>“Here, dear,” Damien said, holding out a cup to Rilla and sitting next to her on the bed, his leg pressed up against hers. He put his extra can on the floor next to her bed.</p><p>“Thanks,” Rilla said, and then she passed him an empty shot glass. He placed it on her bedside table, as he was closer to it.</p><p>“Ooh, Damien,” Quanyii said, “I was just about to make a suggestion, and it’s even better now that you’re here,” she said.</p><p>“Ominous,” Damien said, “do go on, Quanyii, what is it you think we should do?”</p><p>“Let’s play strip poker!” Quanyii exclaimed.</p><p>“No,” Rilla said, taking a drink from her cup.</p><p>“Awh, babe! You’re breaking my heart. How about strip jenga, then?”</p><p>“No way,” Rilla said, shaking her head.</p><p>“Okay, I got it! Truth, dare, or strip,” Quanyii said.</p><p>“You’re not tricking me into stripping, Quanyii! Never again. Or. Not tonight,” Rilla said, and then she placed a hand on Damien’s knee, pushing herself up to stand. “C’mon, let’s dance, hm?”</p><p>“Ooh yay! This is definitely an unexpected outcome, babe,” Quanyii said, hopping down from her spot on the desk.</p><p>Arum leaned towards Damien slightly, asking, “Is this… a regular occurrence?”</p><p>“The dancing, or the stripping-based games?” Damien asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said, and Damien chuckled.</p><p>“Yes,” Damien replied. Then, he looked up. Rilla’s hand was on his wrist.</p><p>“Oh, Sir Damien, my knight in shining armour, you don’t expect me to be only one of two people dancing, do you?” she said.</p><p>“Of course not,” Damien said, and he stood up as she pulled him.</p><p>“Arum?” Rilla tilted her head, turning her gaze towards him.</p><p>“I… do not dance,” Arum said.</p><p>“Oh,” Quanyii laughed, “he thinks he doesn’t dance. That’s really cute, you know.”</p><p>Arum frowned at her, but Quanyii just turned to Rilla and placed her hands on Rilla’s hips. Rilla took a long drink from her cup.</p><p>“If you’re not gonna dance, guard my drink?” Rilla asked, holding out her cup. Arum nodded and took her cup.</p><p>Rilla then allowed herself to be pulled a few steps away from the bed, with Damien at her side. Quanyii pressed her lips together and performed some magic to amplify the music in Rilla’s room. When they started dancing, Rilla’s other friends shuffled over, dancing near them.</p><p>Talfryn, on the other hand, shuffled over towards the bed and sat next to Arum, chatting him up, asking if he was having fun, the like.</p><p>“Why does the party always migrate into my bedroom?” Rilla asked, now having to yell because of Quanyii’s spell. Rilla turned towards Damien, slinging one arm over his shoulder as a song slowed so she could sway her hips. He placed his free hand on her hip, the one Quanyii wasn’t holding on to.</p><p>“Because you always try to hide away in here, babe,” Quanyii said. “When will you learn? You can’t escape the fun.”</p><p>“Eh, maybe one of these days. I’m pretty stubborn, though,” Rilla said. Damien laughed.</p><p>“And we wouldn’t want you any other way!” Damien said. Quanyii stuck her tongue out at him over Rilla’s shoulder.</p><p>“Blech, you’re so sweet, Damien,” Rilla said, but she was grinning.</p><p>They danced to a couple of songs before Quanyii was distracted, leaving Rilla and Damien swaying alone for a moment or two. Then, Rilla’s friends crowded a little closer.</p><p>Damien tilted his head when Rilla’s eyes went wide, but he understood it only seconds later.</p><p>“I love this song!” Rilla yelled, and Damien finished his drink, holding onto her hand as he moved to place the empty can on her bedside table.</p><p>“I know,” Damien said, as Rilla pulled on his sleeve. He turned back to her, smiling.</p><p>They faced each other, Rilla’s hands come to Damien’s forearms as they swayed and started to sing loudly at each other.</p><p>“<em>You got a bad reputation in my neighbourhood! You drive me mad with temptation,”</em> they yell-sang together, and fumbled a few of the next lyrics, ending with laughter and them yelling, “<em>I’m hooked!”  </em></p><p>About halfway through the song, though, Rilla gasped and pulled back. Damien tilted his head at her, and then she turned away from him and went over to Arum, placing her hands on each side of her head. He looked at her like she said two heads.</p><p>“Noo!” she said, “You can’t hear me singing, yet,” she said. “Did you hear me singing? Please say no, this was shitty drunk singing, you need to hear me sing for real first,” she said.</p><p>Arum gave her an unimpressed look, putting two of hands on hers as if he were about to take her hands off his head. “Amaryllis. I assure you, I can hardly make out your voice above all the chatter and music,” he said.</p><p>“Oh, good,” Rilla said, then she laughed. “I just, I want you to hear me sing <em>for real</em>, first,” she repeated, and he nodded.</p><p>“Yes, I understand,” he said.</p><p>“Good. Glad we’re at an understanding,” she said, and he gently pried her hands from his head. “Oops,” she said, and then laughed.</p><p>“You are… drunk,” Arum said.</p><p>“Excellent observation,” Damien said, grabbing the can he’d placed on the floor earlier. Rilla laughed more.</p><p>“Are you sure you won’t dance?” Rilla said, grabbing Arum’s wrists again.</p><p>“I… am certain,” Arum said, and Rilla pouted at him. Damien opened his can and shuffled over to Angelo, who was dancing with one of Rilla’s friends.</p><p>Damien elbowed Angelo in the side.</p><p>“Is everything okay?” Angelo asked, and Damien placed a finger to his lips to tell Angelo to quiet down. Angelo nodded. Then, Damien tilted his head slightly towards the spot where Rilla was still standing in front of Arum, holding his arms and chatting.</p><p>“What?” Angelo said, and Damien made his eyes big.</p><p>Damien leaned in close, using a hand to pull Angelo down by the shirt. “Do you not see that? I am simply proving my point,” he hissed.</p><p>“Oh, come on, man,” Angelo said, and Damien growled at him. “I still think you should tell her,” Angelo said, and Damien elbowed him again. Angelo just laughed at that.</p><p>Damien huffed, and turned back towards Rilla. Arum was standing, now. Rilla’s arm was looped in one of Arum’s.</p><p>They were walking towards him, so Damien smiled. “Sir Damien,” Rilla said, voice formal.</p><p>“Yes, flower?” Damien said, clearing his throat. “What is it?”</p><p>“We’ve decided to get some air, it’s very warm in here, tktktk,” Arum explained. “Would you like to join us?”</p><p>“Oh,” Damien said. He sipped his drink. “Yes, that would be nice. Allow me to grab a jacket,” Damien said, and he shuffled past some people to open up Rilla’s wardrobe and grabbed a sweater she had stolen from him at some point. He grabbed a second one, for Rilla herself, and folded both over his arm. Then, he followed Rilla and Arum out of Rilla’s room.</p><p>They wandered out of the apartment, down the hall past a group of people chatting, and outside. There were a group of people outside as well. They were smoking, closer to the door than they were supposed to be.</p><p>“Ooh, it’s a little chilly,” Rilla said, and Damien held out the sweater he’d brought for her, and then put on his own. “My knight!” Rilla said with a gasp, and Damien laughed. Rilla let go of Arum’s forearm long enough to pull the sweater over her shoulders and then looped her arm in his once again.</p><p>“Indeed, this is what I am, Rilla,” Damien told her. “Arum,” he said, a moment later, as they walked towards the courtyard.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Are you having fun?” Damien asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said. “It’s… a bit overwhelming, but, I’ve been having a good time. I don’t frequently attend parties. I’m sure that comes as no surprise, tktktk.”</p><p>“I try not to assume!” Damien said. “Well, I am glad to hear that you are having fun,” Damien said, sipping the drink that he’d brought out with him. Technically they weren’t supposed to consume alcohol in common spaces or outdoors, but, oh well.</p><p>“We should go for a walk in the forest,” Rilla said wistfully, “I want to look for mushrooms.”</p><p>“Rilla, darling, it’s dark outside,” Damien pointed out.</p><p>“I can use my phone’s light,” she pointed out.</p><p>“Besides, if it’s drugs you want, I’m sure Quanyii will supply,” Damien teased, and Rilla scoffed.</p><p>“Not <em>those</em> sort of mushrooms!” Rilla said. They arrived at a bench in the courtyard, and Rilla sat down. With little choice in the matter, Arum sat next to her, and Damien squished on her other side. Rilla took a deep breath of the night air and patted her cheeks. “I feel… slightly less drunk.”</p><p>“Well, that’s probably for the best,” Damien said.</p><p>“I’m <em>pretty </em>drunk,” Rilla admitted. “How’s this always happen?”</p><p>“As usual, the answer is Quanyii.”</p><p>“I need to stop letting her mix my drinks,” Rilla laughed. Then, sure turned to Arum, “you’re sure you’re having fun? It’s okay if you’re not, I won’t be offended,” she said.</p><p>“I am having fun. I am just not used to socializing in loud, crowded places. But it’s been… very amusing, and enlightening, to see you with your friends, tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla laughed lightly, “Fair enough. I’m glad you came anyway. Just know you don’t have to show up to stuff like this, if you don’t want.”</p><p>“Of course,” Arum said.</p><p>Rilla hummed, satisfied with the answer. She looked up at the sky, into the clear night. It wasn’t the most optimal spot for stargazing, with all of the lights illuminating the walkway into the courtyard, but their campus was a short distance outside the city, so it could be a lot worse.</p><p>Damien drank his cider, glancing over at Rilla now and again. Once, he caught Arum’s eye, both of them looking at her at once. He looked away, looking up to the stars as well.</p><p>A few minutes later, Rilla suggested they go back inside, so they did.</p><p>Once inside, she and Damien put their sweaters away, and she pulled him back into the middle of the floor in her room, dancing to the music still blasting. Arum hung near the wall with Talfryn again.</p><p>The night continued on in much the same way, though Damien and Rilla decided to stop drinking, and Arum hadn’t really had that much to drink in the first place.</p><p>Sometime after midnight, a significant portion of the partygoers started filtering out to relocate to bars. Not too long after that, Arum told Damien and Rilla that he was planning on heading out, so they went to the door to bid him goodbye.  </p><p>Rilla threw her arms around Arum, pressing her face into his chest. “Goodniiight,” she said.</p><p>“Goodnight,” Arum said. “Thank you for inviting me,” he said, hugging her back.</p><p>“Thanks for coming!” Rilla said, slowly peeling herself away from him. “You’re <em>very</em> good at hugs,” she said.</p><p>“Thanks?” Arum said, and Rilla chuckled.</p><p>She stepped back, and looked at Damien.</p><p>Damien opened his arms and gave Arum a much shorter hug, saying, “I’m glad you came! I look forward to seeing you at the Open Mic Night on Thursday.”</p><p>“Yes, of course,” Arum said. “I’ll see you around, Honeysuckle,” Arum said.</p><p>Rilla waved as Arum left.</p><p>Then, she turned to Damien, and said, “We should order pizza.”</p><p>“Yes, yes we should,” Damien said. “Maybe once a few more people clear out, hm?” he asked. Rilla nodded.</p><p>So, shortly after 1am, they flopped on the couch with Talfryn and Angelo, and ordered a pizza. Caroline was staring into a cup, sitting on a chair, and Marc was near the couch in his wheelchair. Quanyii was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>Damien went to pick up the pizza when it arrived, and Angelo cleared off the coffee table enough for Damien to place the boxes out.</p><p>Damien handed Rilla a slice of vegetarian pizza on a napkin and she grinned at him.</p><p>“You’re way too good to me, Damien,” she said, then she lifted the pizza above her head and bit off a piece of stringy cheese.</p><p>“Nonsense, I treat you exactly as you deserve to be treated,” Damien said.</p><p>Caroline gagged, standing up to grab herself some pizza, “I’m too drunk to listen to that nonsense, cut it out.”</p><p>“Please don’t make that noise,” Talfryn said, and Caroline rolled her eyes. She sat back down with her pizza.</p><p>“Mmmm, this is so good,” Angelo said, picking off some pieces of meat and popping them into his mouth.</p><p>“I’d say this was a success!” Rilla said. “Good party, Marc, good job.”</p><p>“Could nevera done it without everyone else,” Marc said, biting into his pizza. “Sooo fucking tired, though.”</p><p>There were murmurs of agreement. Once the pizza was had, Rilla and Damien put the rest of it into the fridge. Angelo took a few minutes to grab bottles from around the living room and line them up on the counter to be rinsed out, but eventually Rilla shoo’d him away, even though Marc told her not to stop him from helping.</p><p>After that, Rilla took Damien’s wrist and the two of them went back to her bedroom. She turned away from him, unhooking her bra and taking it off with her shirt still on, then grabbing some pyjamas. “Be right back,” she said.</p><p>Damien yawned and nodded, taking off his own shirt and going into her wardrobe. While Rilla was gone, he quickly shucked off his slacks and put on the sweatpants that were stored there. Then, he went over to her bed and laid down.</p><p>There were a bunch of cans left behind in her room, but he told himself he’d pick them up for her tomorrow morning.</p><p>Damien was half asleep by the time Rilla crawled over him to get into the tiny bed next to him, lying beside the wall. She murmured a “goodnight”. He murmured goodnight back, and they promptly fell asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Rilla sings songs written by "damien" at open mic night but i am not a poet, so they are actually Florence + the Machine Lyrics :) <br/>also: fluff ahead!!!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What’s wrong?” Rilla asked, taking a sip of her water from a metal straw. Damien just sighed, taking a seat across from her at the table. They were in the campus bar, about 20 minutes before the Open Mic Night was supposed to start. “Oh, wait! You had that date today. Did it… not go well?” Rilla tilted her head.</p><p>“Oh, it was okay,” Damien said with a little sigh. “It actually went very well, for the most part. It just became clear, near the end, that there are some incompatibilities… in what we are each searching for,” Damien explained.</p><p>“Oh?” Rilla asked.</p><p>“Well, it seemed that he was looking for a more <em>physical</em> relationship, at least, sooner than I tend to be willing to, you know, <em>do that</em>,” Damien said, gesturing with his hands.</p><p>“Yeah, for sure. Well, that sucks, Damien,” Rilla said with a little frown. “I’m sorry he was only really interested in sex.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Damien said, “I am used to it. I begrudge absolutely nobody for wanting to participate in casual or physically-motivated relationships. But when this attitude is the only one prevailing across <em>all</em> of the dating apps and, whatever- it can be a bit disheartening, when, each time I meet somebody new and gently confess that I am <em>waiting</em> and I wish only to have sex with somebody within a serious, meaningful relationship, I see the light leave their eyes and the conversation becomes stilted.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rilla said gently. “It’s shitty. I’m <em>sure</em> you’ll find somebody who isn’t just trying to get laid, eventually, Damien. You’re a <em>wonderful, amazing </em>guy, and you’re gonna make somebody <em>so</em> happy. I mean it.”</p><p>Damien gave her a pinched smile, his cheeks warming slightly. “Thank you, my dear, sweet, Rilla. I believe so, as well. I won’t give up, that much I know. In the meantime, I’ve asked Saint Damien for his tranquility.”</p><p>“Good,” Rilla said. “Want me to buy you a drink, too?”</p><p>“Yes, I do think that would be helpful,” Damien said. Rilla laughed, standing. She patted him on the shoulder and went over to the bar.</p><p>By the time she returned, Arum was sitting next to Damien, so she smiled at him. The two were chatting.</p><p>“Hey,” Rilla said, sliding the drink in front of Damien. It was the same cider he was drinking at the party.</p><p>“Hi,” Arum said. “How are you?” he asked.</p><p>Rilla took her seat and grabbed her water again. “I’m doing well,” she said.</p><p>“Are you excited to hear Rilla sing, finally?” Damien asked, leaning in slightly. His sour mood from the shitty date had seemingly vanished. Rilla was glad to see it.</p><p>“I am,” Arum smiled at her, his eyes narrowing just slightly.</p><p>Rilla played with her straw, “Damien,” she muttered.</p><p>“What?” Damien asked, smiling brightly at her.</p><p>“Are you nervous, Amaryllis?” Arum asked, tilting his head.</p><p>“I mean, it’s always at least a <em>little</em> nerve wracking to get up and sing in front of people,” Rilla said, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“Yes, I bet. I do not envy you,” Arum said.</p><p>“But it is also thrilling,” Damien said, “to preform, in general. I am not an incredibly strong singer, and, well, I suppose I could take lessons. Well, I’ve already got quite a few extracurriculars on the go- but, as I was saying, it is both anxiety inducing and utterly exhilarating to preform! Isn’t that right, Rilla?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’d say that about sums it up,” Rilla said. At that moment, Angelo and Marc arrived, announcing themselves with a loud greeting. Angelo moved a chair out of the way for Marc’s wheelchair, and took the little round table right next to Damien, Arum, and Rilla’s little round table. Angelo went to fetch drinks.</p><p>“Are you on the list already, Rilla?” Marc asked, and she turned in his direction to speak with him.</p><p>“Yep!” she said, “I’m fourth in line, and they should start in, uh… ten minutes or so?”</p><p>“Excellent,” Marc said, and then smirked, “break a leg!”</p><p>Rilla scoffed and laughed, “Will do.”</p><p>Quanyii and Caroline arrived about five minutes before, and Quanyii went straight up to put her name on the list as well.</p><p>Rilla bounced her knee as the night got started and they all got a bit quieter. Since it was in the bar, it wasn’t going to be completely silent, but that was fine by her.</p><p>Damien placed a hand on top of hers as the third act started, and she smiled warmly at him.</p><p>Before she knew it, her name was being called up. She’d already provided the background music she needed to sing to, something she’d recorded with Quanyii, Marc, and Talfryn’s help quite some time ago.</p><p>“Hello,” Rilla said into the Mic. “Um, thank you, Gary, for the introduction. As he said, my name is Rilla. I’ve got two songs for you tonight, both written by my best friend, Damien,” she said, gesturing towards him in the crowd. “Some of you will be familiar, some of you might not be- but, I hope you enjoy, either way,” she said. “So, here goes. This is called <em>Caught</em>,” Rilla said. She gave the motion for Gary to start the music, and when it was time, she started to sing,</p><p>“<em>It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do</em><em><br/>To try and keep from calling you…” </em></p><p>Rilla shut her eyes without thinking of it, and when she did open them, her eyes fell on her friends, all relatively close to the front.</p><p>Damien was mouthing the words along with her, as he always did when she sung. That made her smile internally. It was hard to both sing and smile at once.</p><p>The song ended with the lyrics,</p><p>“<em>I can't keep calm, I can't keep still</em><em><br/>Pulled apart against my will</em>.”</p><p>After she stopped singing, the music went on just a little bit longer. And when it stopped, the crowd applauded, with no small amount of the noise coming from her friend group, who were going absolutely wild.</p><p>“Thank you, thank you,” Rilla said, once the noise died down a bit. “My second song is called Saint Jude. Again, credit to my best friend Damien,” she repeated. She winked at him in the crowd and he shook his head at her with a smile. She nodded to Gary, and the music started up again. Rilla opened her lips to sing,</p><p>“<em>Another conversation with no destination<br/>Another battle never won..” </em></p><p>The experience was similar to the first, though she felt more comfortable. She knew both songs equally well, but it was always easier to sing once she was warmed up and used to feeling the eyes of the crowd on her. The songs were both slow, which was easier to sing.</p><p>This song ended on the lyrics,</p><p>“<em>I'm trying to find the meaning</em><br/>Let loss reveal it<br/>Let loss reveal it”</p><p>When the music ended, the crowd applauded again, and Rilla thanked them profusely before stepping away from the mic and walking back to her seat.</p><p>Once she sat down, Damien’s arm came around her shoulder and he squeezed her tight. She put her arm around him in return.</p><p>“Good job up there,” Arum said, and Rilla got a pat on the shoulder from Angelo and a grin from Marc.</p><p>The others all congratulated her, and she did her best not to brush them off entirely.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Rilla said. “Thank you, really. It’s always good to have you all cheering me on. Now, let’s listen to the next performers, hm?” she said.</p><p>Their group quieted down a little bit, as Rilla requested.</p><p>And after the Open Mic Night was over, they remained seated, chatting. Naturally, their conversation split off into different groups.</p><p>“So… what’d you think, honestly?” Rilla asked, nudging Arum with her elbow.</p><p>“You were excellent,” Arum said, tilting his head. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that, tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla smiled, a little shy. “Okay. I just wanted to make sure,” she laughed. He shook his head.</p><p>Angelo, then, clapped both Arum and Rilla on the shoulders. “You two, me, and Damien- pool?” he asked, jutting his chin towards the pool tables at the other side of the room.</p><p>“Sure?” Rilla said, looking at Arum. He nodded.</p><p>“We’re gonna plough you into the ground!” Angelo said with a laugh.</p><p>“I would never plough my dear Rilla into the-” Damien said, though his eyes went wide as Caroline cackled from behind him. “I mean to say-”</p><p>Rilla herself cackled along with her, “You won’t get the chance!” she said, nudging her shoulder against him. “It’s Arum and I that will be ploughing <em>you</em> into the ground.”</p><p>Damien sputtered, the colour draining from his face, and Caroline, Rilla, and Angelo all laughed at his expense.</p><p>“Whatever!” Damien said, “let’s go before the table gets snatched up by somebody else,” he said, standing and manhandling Angelo away with him.</p><p>Rilla’s giggles had mostly subsided by the time the rest of their group migrated over to the pool tables. She picked out her cue.</p><p>“Will it count as cheating if the lizard uses all four arms?” Caroline asked, and Arum glared at her.</p><p>“No, it won’t” Arum said.</p><p>“Yeah, I think it’s fair for him to use all of his limbs,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Well you would say that, you are on his team,” Damien replied. “However, I agree, it would be unjust to prevent him from using what is naturally available to him. Besides,” Damien picked a cue for himself, “we will not be needing the advantage. Angelo and I are the two best billiards players on this campus,” Damien proclaimed.</p><p>“We’ll see about that,” Rilla said, narrowing her eyes at him, but she was smiling.</p><p>She and Arum lost, of course. It was a fun game, though, and Arum <em>was</em> pretty good at pool. Rilla, herself, was terrible at it, though, despite understanding the math and physics behind the game and what <em>should</em> make her good at it.</p><p>Damien and Angelo bought them drinks as a consolation prize, though, so it wasn’t all bad, and then Caroline and Quanyii played a round of pool against Damien and Angelo, which came <em>much</em> closer, but the boys reigned supreme, much to Caroline’s dismay. Quanyii comforted her, which only seemed to make Caroline more irritated.</p><p>All in all, it was a fun evening, and it seemed like Arum was really starting to get along with her friends. He and Talfryn got along particularly well, and Rilla had noticed Angelo chatting him up on multiple occasions. She didn’t really expect Caroline to go out of her way to get to know Arum, and, honestly, that was probably for the best.</p><p>--</p><p>The next week flew by, and mid-terms were fast approaching, so Rilla orchestrated a Friday night movie held at Damien’s place and asked if it would be alright to invite Arum along because he was going to be with her that evening anyway, reviewing an assignment.</p><p>Damien readily agreed, so, as soon as Rilla and Arum finished up their work, they headed over to Damien’s dorm room.</p><p>With a bag of snacks hanging off one arm, Rilla knocked on the door and Damien greeted the two of them with a smile. “Hello, dear friends!”</p><p>“Hey!” Rilla said, and Damien stepped back to wave them into his room. It was much neater than Rilla’s tended to be, unless there was a party about to happen that motivated her to clean. “What’s up?”</p><p>“I just finished practicing my lines for the Spirit’s Eve play,” Damien said. “How are the two of you?”</p><p>Rilla went straight to Damien’s bed and scooted back to the wall. “Good,” she said, and she looked at Arum.</p><p>“I’m doing well,” he said, sitting on the edge of Damien’s bed. “Our assignment is ready to go. My first mid-term is next week, bleh,” he stuck out his tongue</p><p>Damien laughed and sat down near the head of the bed, his body facing Arum. “Well! We will have to make the most of this evening before we begin drowning in the sea of tests and mid-term assignments.”</p><p>“Here, here,” Rilla said, lifting up a fist.</p><p>Damien smiled, then picked up his laptop from the bedside table and opened it up.</p><p>“Oh, one second,” Rilla shuffled to the edge of the bed again. “I need to use the bathroom. Also,” she went over to Damien’s dresser and opened the top drawer, picking out a pair of black sweatpants. “I meant to change out of my jeans before I came over, but, I forgot, soo… I’m gonna borrow some pjs.”</p><p>“Of course, dear Rilla,” Damien said with a smile. He took his laptop and moved to the middle of the bed, and then pulled some pillows over to put behind his back. Lastly, he pat the bed beside him and Arum moved to sit beside him.</p><p>Damien covered a yawn with his hand. “Same,” Arum said, and Damien laughed.</p><p>“One full month down,” Damien said, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“Honestly, I have no idea how the two of you do so much, tktktk,” Arum observed.</p><p>“Oh?” Damien said, “well, I don’t think I do <em>that</em> much.”</p><p>“You’re in a play, and the theatre society, you write full songs in your spare time, you do Home Safe two nights a week. And, didn’t Rilla mention you also volunteer with both the Pride Centre and the Centre for Spirituality?”</p><p>“Well. When you put it like that,” Damien said with a laugh. “I also do archery, you know! And low-ri dueling,” he pointed out.</p><p>Arum laughed, “See? Prep.”</p><p>“I-“ Damien opened his mouth to argue, “well, perhaps that is an accurate term to describe me, but, I am fulfilled. No, I may not get as much sleep as would be optimal for a human of my age, but… if I do not do these things now, when will I?”</p><p>Arum shook his head, “I don’t mean to say it’s a bad thing. Just… overwhelming. And Amaryllis is, arguably, even worse than yourself.”</p><p>“Rilla <em>does</em> do too much,” Damien agreed. Of course, that was the moment she came back into the room.</p><p>“Rilla does what?” she asked, going over to the bag of snacks she brought.</p><p>“Too much,” Arum said, and Rilla scoffed.</p><p>“No I don’t!” she said, and then she hummed. She hopped onto the bed, crawling over to sit on Arum’s other side. “Maybe I do, what of it?”</p><p>Arum just shook his head, “Nothing.”</p><p>“So!” Damien said, “We have already decided on the movie. You’re <em>sure</em> you’re okay with rom-coms, Arum?</p><p>“Is there a reason for me to not me okay with rom-coms?” Arum asked, and Rilla stuck out her tongue.</p><p>“Just that many people have a general distaste for them, and they are oft seen as ‘low-brow’ entertainment.”</p><p>“Well. I’m not much a connoisseur of artistic films, so, we’re good,” Arum said. Rilla laughed.</p><p>“Good, then,” Damien said, sliding the laptop in front of Arum. He looked across Arum at Rilla as she opened a bag of chips. “Rilla. Careful of your snacks.”</p><p>“Yes, Daddy,” Rilla said, and Arum bit his tongue inside of his mouth.</p><p>“Rilla!” Damien cried, and she just laughed.</p><p>“I’ll be careful, I promise,” she said. Damien sighed.</p><p>“Yes, dear,” he said, and she stuck her tongue out, but he was looking back at the laptop. “Everyone ready?”</p><p>“Yes.” “Yep.”</p><p>Damien pressed play, and then settled back into his spot. The laptop wasn’t terribly big, so the three of them were huddled somewhat close together, with Arum in the middle of the two humans.  </p><p>About halfway through the movie, both Damien and Rilla had their heads on Arum’s shoulder. It was only another ten minutes or so before he noticed the sound of snoring and managed to glance over enough to see Rilla sleeping peacefully. He slowly turned his head the other way, and Damien looked to be asleep, too.</p><p>Arum stayed still, letting the rest of the movie play and then allowing the next suggested film to start without interruption. About ten minutes into that, he felt Damien shift on his right side.</p><p>“Hmmnn,” he heard, and glanced over to see Damien lifting his head and blinking his eyes. He looked mildly confused. It was cute.</p><p>“Welcome to the land of the living,” Arum said, his voice low.</p><p>“How long have I been asleep?” Damien mumbled, rubbing his eye.</p><p>“At least 30 minutes,” Arum replied. Damien made a noise of amusement, and glanced over at Rilla. She was snoring, loudly.</p><p>Damien sighed quietly and dropped his head back onto Arum’s shoulder. Arum took the opportunity to shift, moving his lower arm to come around Damien. Damien shifted, too, snuggling closer to Arum, and shutting his eyes again.</p><p>At least another ten minutes or so passed before Rilla jerked awake, sitting up and looking at Arum with bleary eyes. She chucked a little, looking at Damien, who was dozing again. She stretched her arms over her head, and yawned.</p><p>“Sorry for falling asleep on you,” Rilla said, then she looked at the screen. “What did I miss?”</p><p>“The entire movie?” Arum said, “I’m not sure what’s playing now.”</p><p>“Oh, shit,” Rilla said. Damien blinked his eyes open and groaned, turning his face towards Arum’s bicep. “Oops,” Rilla shrugged her shoulders.</p><p>“You two need to get more sleep, tktktk,” Arum shook his head gently, but did his best not to jostle Damien.</p><p>“You speak the truth,” Damien mumbled, turning his face out again and then slowly pushing himself away from Arum. “You should also perhaps consider not being so comfortable to fall asleep on, dear friend,” Damien told him with an amicable smile.</p><p>“I… did not realize I was. Sorry?” Arum narrowed his eyes in confusion. Rilla laughed, and then wrapped her arms around one of his.</p><p>“Naahh, I’m a fan,” she said. Arum glanced down at her. “Don’t know what Damien’s problem is. I think we made a smart move.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, I am glad to know you are happy with your decision to become my friend because I’m good to sleep on?”  Arum said, and Rilla nodded her head against his arm.</p><p>“Good to see we’re in agreement,” Rilla said, and then she laughed and pulled back from him again. Arum just narrowed his eyes at her again.</p><p>“I am but so tired,” Damien muttered.</p><p>“You could just… kick us out and go to sleep,” Arum said. Damien frowned at him.</p><p>“That would be impolite! We haven’t even managed to finish a movie, yet, and that’s why the two of you were invited over,” Damien said. Arum shifted to sit up straighter, and shrugged his shoulders.</p><p>“Well, we can try to watch a second one, if you wish,” Aum suggested, and Damien stifled a yawn.</p><p>“Yes,” he said, taking his laptop and stopping the random movie they hadn’t picked out. Rilla took a moment to eat more of her chips, and Arum stretched his arms, knowing they might very well be pinned again soon.</p><p>Damien found another movie, pressed play, and then settled back towards Arum. This time, Arum had the thought to put his arms around each of them, so his arms wouldn’t be pressed against his own side.</p><p>“This isn’t gonna help keep us awake,” Rilla commented, a hand coming under her own chin as she curled into Arum.</p><p>“Is that a complaint?” Arum asked, as Damien pressed up against Arum as well.</p><p>“Nope,” Rilla said. Arum gave one nod, and they turned their attention towards the movie.</p><p>Somehow, they managed to stay awake for significant portion of the movie, but by the time it was ending, all three of them were in various states of snoozing.</p><p>Rilla was the most asleep, her arm having migrated to Arum’s middle as she snored in his ear. Arum’s head was tilted back in a way that would probably hurt his neck a bit once he righted it, but he was at least half-asleep, if not more, so he didn’t notice. Damien was only a bit more aware, lulling in and out of sleep, the only thing keeping him tethered to the waking world was his desire to glance between his friend’s faces.</p><p>He’d seen Rilla asleep many times, but not Arum. Sleeping, Arum’s face was more relaxed, with a gentle expression. It was sweet.</p><p>Once the movie was over, Damien slowly and carefully moved to shut his laptop, and Arum lifted his head just as he looked back. Damien gave him a smile, and Arum smiled back.</p><p>Rilla was still snoring as Damien leaned back against Arum, looking over at her.</p><p>“She really does need more sleep,” Damien murmured, his hand coming up to brush against Rilla’s shoulder. He slipped his hand under some of her of her braids, moving them behind her. She groaned, and blinked open her eyes.</p><p>“I’m awake,” she mumbled.</p><p>“Likely story, tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla chuckled. “Maybe Damien was right, you should stop being so comfortable. At this rate, we’ll never be able to have a movie night and not just fall asleep,” Rilla said.</p><p>“A price we must be willing to pay,” Damien said. “How tragic,” he added, and Rilla laughed as well.</p><p>“You’re…. welcome?” Arum screwed up his face in confusion again. Rilla nodded.</p><p>“I guess I should probably go home?” Rilla said, more a question than a statement, though.  </p><p>“Whatever you wish,” Damien said, “I would, in fact, like to go to sleep rather soon, though. So. Unless we can all squish into my bed, which,” Damien glanced around him, “I mean, it might not be entirely impossible. It feels as if it’s bigger than your bed, although I don’t think that’s the case. Rilla, and you and I manage just fine. What’s one more person?”</p><p>“We could sleep, like, on opposite sides,” Rilla said, “all three of us might fit that way. Or, we could just be, well- on top of Arum,” Rilla laughed lightly.</p><p>If Arum could blush, he would. Instead, his pupils went wide and he cleared his throat. “I know you claim I’m comfortable, but… I’m not sure if I’m <em>that</em> comfortable.”</p><p>“Only one way to find out,” Rilla pointed out. Arum pulled another face. “But, I don’t want to bully you into sleeping with us,” she said, then she cleared her own throat. “Uh, you know what I mean,” she waved her hand.</p><p>“Oh, Saint Damien, your tranquility,” Damien muttered under his breath, scooting off of the bed. “Well. You two decide if you are sleeping over or not, I am going to get changed,” Damien plucked some clothes out of his dresser and left the room.</p><p>“I… didn’t realize he was serious,” Arum said, “about us staying over?”</p><p>Rilla just shrugged, “I mean… I stay here most Friday nights, at this point. Unless there’s a party, and then Damien sleeps at my place.”</p><p>“But you both live on campus, your apartment is minutes away,” Arum pointed out, and then blinked. <em>Of course they’d sleep together, they were dating</em>, Arum thought to himself.  </p><p>“It’s just easier,” Rilla shrugged. “So, yeah, I’m probably going to stay here. I’m sure we can fit if you want, too,” Rilla said, and he watched as she reached behind herself and unhooked her bra, taking out from underneath her t-shirt. Arum bit his tongue inside of his mouth. Rilla threw the bra onto Damien’s desk and stretched her neck from side to side.</p><p>Technically, he wouldn’t even need to leave the room to go home, seeing as he could make a portal with the things in his bag. It would, perhaps, be unwise to stay. They probably wanted some… alone time, with one another. However, Rilla seemed entirely earnest in her offer to have him sleep with them. Well, sleep <em>next </em>to them.</p><p>Damien returned shirtless in grey sweatpants much like Rilla’s, his clothing folded into a neat pile that he put with some other worn (but not ready to wash) clothing. “So you’ll stay, then?” he asked. “I see you’re already getting comfortable, Rilla,” he said, gingerly folding her bra on his desk and moving it to the same pile of clothes.</p><p>“I’m always comfortable here,” Rilla said, “but, yes, I’m staying. Arum?”</p><p>“I really don’t know if we’ll fit in your bed,” Arum said, “but. Why not?”</p><p>“Yay, slumber party!” Rilla said with a laugh. Damien chuckled.</p><p>“<em>No</em> pillow fights,” Damien said, and Rilla laughed. Damien turned on the lamp on his bedside table and turned off the main lights.</p><p>“Boooo,” Rilla said, then she yawned again. She shuffled off the bed. “Okay, just gotta brush my teeth.” She went to the bathroom.</p><p>“I am unsure if I can offer you any alternative clothing, Arum,” Damien said, opening his top drawer again.</p><p>“My clothing is.. comfortable enough,” Arum said.</p><p>“Okay,” Damien said, though he continued to look through his clothing for just a moment before sighing and shutting the drawer. “My apologies.”</p><p>“You didn’t know I was going to stay over, tktktk.”</p><p>“I suppose not. I shouldn’t be entirely surprised, though,” Damien glanced towards the bedroom door and went to sit on the bed. “Rilla does stay most weekends, and I’ve had other guests before.”</p><p>Arum tilted his head, “I see.”</p><p>Rilla returned a moment later and yawned again. “I call wall-side of the bed,” she said, hopping back onto the bed, and scooting around Arum.</p><p>“Are you okay with the middle, Arum?” Damien asked, “We do not really have to be.. on top of you, I’m sure if we’re mostly on our sides, it will work,” he said.</p><p>“I’m okay with the middle,” Arum confirmed.</p><p>“Okay, then I shall take the edge. Please don’t let me fall,” Damien said with a note of amusement.</p><p>“Of course not, Honeysuckle,” Arum said.</p><p>And so, they all climbed into bed. Rilla started facing the wall, with Arum facing Damien and Damien facing his room.</p><p>“Goodnight,” Damien said, and then he reached up to turn off the light.</p><p>“Night, Sir Damien. G’night, Arum,” Rilla said, sounding very sleepy.</p><p>“Goodnight,” Arum repeated, feeling Damien press his back into his chest. He shut his eyes, one arm coming up around Damien’s middle loosely.</p><p>They all took a little while to fall asleep. They were, indeed, packed together pretty tightly. Still, they made it work.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is another chapter where I've notably messed around with the Lore and just sort of made up whatever. Spirit's Eve is mostly Halloween and stuff I read from the All Saint's Eve page on wikipedia and isn't supposed to represent any specific cultural practices irl!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next few weeks flew by in a flurry of stress, long nights, assignments, and tests. Rilla and Damien did their best to make time to see one another, and they met up with Arum on a couple of occasions- as well as some of their other friends, when possible. Still, it was a tough time to stay social.</p><p>Even so, they came out on the other side alive, and ready to celebrate the main holiday of the first quarter, Spirit’s Eve.</p><p>As the weather was getting colder, plants started to die, and a special sort of magic started to crackle through the air. It was a time to honor the lives of people who had passed, and give thanks for all that they had to live for.</p><p>With that, Damien was performing in a play that paid tribute to the Holiday, aptly named The Show About Death. There was only one showing, on Spirit’s Eve itself, and it was being held after a ritual he’d attended with Rilla, Angelo, and some of the others.</p><p>As soon as Damien exited the theatre after the play, Rilla flung herself into his arms and he laughed, hugging her back.</p><p>She was dressed in all white, a lacy blouse and flowy skirt, a nice contrast to her skin. Her braids were more extravagant than usual, and were in a half-up, half-down style. She was also wearing smoky makeup and red lipstick (courtesy of Quanyii), which fairly unusual for her, but, it was all for the occasion of Spirit’s Eve.</p><p>Outfits tended to be monochrome, with the other colours of choice being black, and red, but occasionally purple as well. Makeup, if worn, was often dramatic, sometimes ghoulish depending on what one was going for, but Rilla’s was done to be striking more than anything. It was successful.</p><p>“That was great, Damien,” she said, pulling back.</p><p>“Thank you, Rilla,” Damien said with a smile. Angelo pulled him into a quick hug, and then Damien turned towards Arum.</p><p>Arum held out to him a small bouquet of black roses and orange cosmos, and Damien blinked. “Good job,” he said, and Damien accepted the flowers with a surprised and flattered look on his face.</p><p>“Thank you,” Damien said, his voice deep and sincere. He gazed down at the flowers with a smile.</p><p>“No honeysuckles, unfortunately. But I chose flowers based on the occasion,” Arum said. “I recall you said you liked roses, too, tktktk?”</p><p>“I <em>do</em> like roses! They’re lovely, thank you. I will have to go home to change anyway, so I can get them in some water right away,” Damien said, his eyes still hooked on the the flowers. Then, he glanced back up, “Are you coming to the Spirit’s Eve party tonight?” he asked, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“I was… not entirely sure, as Rilla has described it as a ‘rager’, which is not exactly my style, but,” Arum shrugged. “Might as well come check it out.”</p><p>“It does promise to be quite intense,” Damien admitted.</p><p>“And <em>I</em> am so excited,” Angelo chimed in with a laugh.</p><p>“It’s such a great idea, really, to celebrate our continued life by putting ourselves at risk of dying by alcohol poisoning,” Rilla said with a firm nod, and Angelo just laughed again.</p><p>“Yes, indeed! But what is a life for, if not to live?” Angelo proposed.</p><p>“Can’t argue with that,” Rilla replied. “Well. Let’s get fucked up, shall we?”</p><p>The others agreed, more or less. So, Rilla looped her arms in Damien and Arum’s, as she tended to do these days. They walked back to Damien and Angelo’s dorm room for Damien to get changed, while Rilla, Arum, and Angelo chatted and picked up the bottles and snacks that Angelo was bringing to the party. As usual, it was being held at Rilla’s apartment with Marc and Talfryn.  </p><p>The play was always set to end at dusk, so it was already nighttime by the time they made their way over to Rilla’s. Damien was dressed now in all black, as was Arum, and Angelo in red.</p><p>When they entered Rilla’s apartment, it became apparent the party had already started in their absence. There were decorations on the wall, and people in little groups, all drinking, chatting, and dancing.   </p><p>“Hey!” Marc greeted them from his spot near the kitchen. “SHOTS!” he yelled, and Angelo cheered.</p><p>They all crowded near the counter as Angelo poured out the alcohol. As usual, they all accepted the little glasses and said cheers, drinking them together.</p><p>“Rilla!” Damien as he grabbed her empty cup, and leaned closer to her, “did you move my medication from the bathroom again?”</p><p>“Yes,” Rilla nodded, and he smiled.</p><p>“Thank you, my sweet flower,” he said, and she shook her head as if to say ‘no need to thank me’. Damien tossed the empty cups in the trash.</p><p>“Of course, Damien,” she said. Then, she went to the fridge as Angelo unpacked the bag of booze and snacks he’d brought.</p><p>Rilla brought Damien over a cider and handed it to him. “Arum!” she called, “do you want to try our punch?”</p><p>“Um. Okay,” Arum nodded. Rilla took two cups and went back to the fridge, filling them with an orange liquid. She returned and handed one to Arum with a grin on her face.</p><p>“It’s potent,” she said, “but it doesn’t taste it, so be careful.”</p><p>“Okay,” Arum said, and then Rilla yelled as an arm was slung around her front.</p><p>“Hey babe!” Quanyii yelled. She was dressed in all black, with makeup similar to Rilla’s, but even more dramatic.</p><p>“Saints, you scared me,” Rilla said, placing a hand against Qunayii’s wrist for a moment.</p><p>“Oopsie daisies,” Quanyii giggled, “you ready to dance?” she asked.</p><p>“Let me get a drink into me, first,” Rilla said with a shake of her head.</p><p>“Did you have fun contacting the dead, Damien?” Quanyii asked, still holding Rilla to her body as Rilla drank.</p><p>“I did,” Damien said, “the ceremony at the local Garden of Graves was splendid. It is always a wonderous experience to feel the energy of the Saints move through me.”</p><p>“Good!”’ Quanyii said, “wait, did we all take shots already?”</p><p>“We <em>just</em> took shots,” Rilla said. Quanyii pouted.</p><p>“But I missed it, babe. We should take ‘em again,” Quanyii said in a voice just as pouty as her face. Rilla and Damien groaned.</p><p>Still, they took another round of shots.</p><p>“You weren’t kidding about this party,” Arum said to Rilla, piling his glass with the others. Rilla shook her head. Alcohol didn’t affect him as strongly as his human friends, but he was already starting to feel some tingling around his eyes.</p><p>“We are gonna get <em>fucked </em>up,” Rilla said, taking a sip from her drink. She nudged him with her elbow, “Maybe you’ll actually dance with us tonight,” she raised her brows.</p><p>“Perhaps. Don’t bet on it, though, tktktk.”</p><p>“Okay, if you say so,” Rilla said with a smile. “<em>I</em> am going to dance, though,” she said. After she finished her drink, she let Quanyii pull her towards the living room, where other people were dancing. Rilla grabbed Damien’s wrist beforehand, though, dragging him through the crowd as she was being dragged herself.</p><p>Arum hung back and talked to Talfryn, and Angelo, glancing over at Rilla, Damien, and Quanyii as Rilla was pressed up between the other two again.</p><p>After a couple songs, Quanyii flitted away to dance with somebody else, and Arum watched as Damien took Rilla’s hand and spun her around. He saw Rilla lean her head back to laugh before she spun back, slinging her arms around Damien’s shoulders.</p><p>They were a decidedly cute couple, and Arum did his best to temper the fluttering in his stomach as he watched them. Then, he looked away.</p><p>Arum finished his cup of punch and Talfryn offered to refill it for him. While Tal was gone, Angelo threw his arm around Arum.</p><p>“Are you having fun, friend?” Angelo asked, and Arum nodded. Rilla’s friend group was so… attentive. Well, some of them, anyway.</p><p>“I am,” Arum said. He glanced back at Damien and Rilla again, and watched as they yelled what he assumed to be the lyrics of a song at each other.</p><p>“Glad to hear it!” Angelo said with a grin, and Arum looked back towards him, and then to Talfryn as he was offered a second drink. “Talfryn! Are you having fun?” Angelo asked, and they waited to hear Talfryn’s response.</p><p>Maybe he would dance, Arum thought, though he hadn’t ever really done that and would probably be bad. In all fairness, when he glanced over and looked at anybody in the crowd, there did seem to be a range of… skill levels, among the people there. And it didn’t look so complicated. Arum didn’t notice when, but Marc had wheeled over to them and was being asked if <em>he</em> was having fun, now.</p><p>Of course, a few moments later, he looked at Rilla and Damien again, and- they had stepped a bit outside of the main crowd and were doing some sort of partner dance that just <em>barely</em> fit the slightly slower music playing. His eyes narrowed, and he felt Angelo nudge him.</p><p>“Impressive, aren’t they?” Angelo said, and Arum blinked.</p><p>“Where did they learn that?” Arum tilted his head.</p><p>“Why, at dance classes, of course!” Angelo told him, and he laughed. “They took them together.”</p><p>“They’re so obnoxious,” Marc rolled his eyes. “Total show offs.”</p><p>“I think it’s… romantic,” Arum said, and Angelo and Marc both laughed. Arum wasn’t exactly sure why.</p><p>“You could say that,” Marc said, snorting. They all looked at Damien and Rilla again as Damien honest to god <em>dipped</em> her. “SHOW OFFS!” Marc yelled, but maybe they didn’t hear or didn’t care.</p><p>Angelo and Marc laughed when Damien and Rilla did look over. Rilla yelled something Arum couldn’t catch and gestured at them.</p><p>“WHAT?” Marc yelled back, and then Rilla shook head and walked back to their group. Damien trailed behind her.</p><p>“I said, look at the peanut gallery over here!” Rilla repeated, her voice still loud over the music.</p><p>“You’re the one trying to <em>ballroom dance</em> at a house party, Rill!” Marc said, and she stuck her tongue out at him.</p><p>“And I was having a grand time doing it!” Rilla said, “don’t be the <em>fun police</em>, Marc!”</p><p>“That is true, Marc, you shouldn’t police their fun,” Angelo said, with a level of severity.</p><p>“But what if policing their fun brings me fun, then, huh? Who are <em>you</em> to police<em> my</em> fun.”</p><p>“Kinkshaming is his kink,” Talfryn said, and Marc and Rilla both abruptly laughed, followed by Angelo laughing along and Damien shaking his head into his can of cider.</p><p>Arum just looked between them with a bemused expression. “You are all… so very weird,” he said, and the group just laughed again.</p><p>“This is true,” Rilla said, and then she smiled at him and poked him on the arm. “You love us anyway!” she said.</p><p>Arum averted his gaze, scoffing. “Well,” he said, and didn’t elaborate further. Rilla and the others laughed again.</p><p>“I’m getting another drink!” Rilla announced. Damien drank the rest of his can and tossed it towards the trash. Rilla went to the fridge, and came back with a full cup and another can of Damien’s cider.</p><p>Angelo asked Rilla and Damien how they were doing, before he wandered off went off to talk to somebody else. Marc also wheeled away from them after some time, some other friends inviting him to a game.</p><p>Some of Rilla’s friends from her program came over to talk to them. Arum knew them too, which was nice.</p><p>They all chatted, caught up, and lamented over the mid-term season they’d just survived, as well as what was to come in the second half of the semester, and then resolved to get just drunker tonight and talk about fun stuff, instead.</p><p>Rilla and Damien left to dance, again, and Arum stuck back with Talfryn and a monster woman named Annalise who was from his program. They started discussing some science news about a rediscovered type of grass that had remained functionally the same for thousands of years, recently found in wetlands, and Arum lost track of time in the conversation. Talfryn eventually dipped out of the discussion, but some other friends of Annalise’s had joined them, and they restarted the conversation about the Very Old Grass.</p><p>Meanwhile, Rilla and Damien eventually decided they should take a rest from the dancing, and snuck back to Rilla’s room. Caroline and Quanyii were in there chatting, which made Rilla roll her eyes but, well- at least that’s <em>all</em> they were doing in her room alone.</p><p>Angelo went looking for Damien, in part because he liked to keep tabs on his friends, so he ended up in Rilla’s room as well, and Talfryn eventually, too, arrived looking for a short escape from the crowd.</p><p>“Wow, and the whole party ends up in my room again,” Rilla said. Talfryn went to the bed to sit beside Caroline, who was lounging.</p><p>“Rilla, this is hardly the whole party! There are plenty of people still in the living room,” Angelo pointed out. He was leaning on the windowsill. Rilla snickered into her drink.</p><p>“Fair enough,” Rilla said. “Tal, did you abandon Arum?”</p><p>“You abandoned him first,” Talfryn pointed out, and Rilla pulled a face. “He’s with people talking about a rediscovered type of grass in the wetlands, I’d say he’s okay.”</p><p>“Alright,” Rilla said, taking a big sip from her cup.</p><p>“Y’know, seeing as we’re all here,” Quanyii started with a smirk on her face. She’d jumped up on the desk at some point, and was kicking her legs, “we should play a game!”</p><p>Everyone groaned a bit, but Rilla pressed her lips together and hummed.</p><p>“Okay, fiiiiine,” Rilla said, taking a long drink from her cup. “Let’s play Truth, Dare, or Strip,” she said.</p><p>“EEEEEE,” Quanyii grinned, bouncing in her place on Rilla’s desk as she clapped her hands. “Yes! Let’s get this shit started.”</p><p>Rilla shook her head, pushing herself off her spot leaning on the desk and sitting down on the floor. The door was still ajar, the music and yelling from the living room a fitting backdrop to their game.</p><p>“Oh, my. Saint Damien, your tranquility,” Damien muttered, but he sat next to her.</p><p>“Can I leave again?” Talfryn asked from his spot on the bed.</p><p>“Nope,” Quanyii said, and Rilla shook her head.</p><p>“Of course you can, Tal,” Rilla said. “If you want.”</p><p>“…Nah, it’s fine,” Talfryn said. Angelo went to the desk and pulled out the chair, next to Damien, taking a sip of his beer. Caroline continued to lounge on the bed, taking a sip from the metal straw in her drink.  </p><p>“Okay, who wants to go first?!” Quanyii asked, her eyes glinting with mirth.</p><p>The first round was pretty tame, the usual stuff. Truth was a bit more difficult, when they already knew so much about each other.</p><p>Rilla was the first to lose a piece of clothing when, during the second round, Quanyii dared her to tamper with one of her experiments in the spare room of the apartment they lived in.</p><p>“Ugh,” Rilla said, shoving her cup in Damien’s hand before she pulled her shirt over her head. “I hate you, Quanyii. You literally always just find a way to make me get undressed!”</p><p>“Why’d you pick <em>dare</em> you dummy? You <em>know</em> that’s what I’m trying to do, boo,” Quanyii stuck her tongue out.</p><p>Rilla grumbled and tossed her shirt towards her laundry hamper. It didn’t reach.</p><p>“Whatever,” she muttered. “Anyway. Angelo, truth or dare?”</p><p>Angelo, as always, picked dare, and Rilla took a moment before daring him to get a cup, pour a little bit of everyone’s drink in it, and then run it through his hair like hairgel. He did so, and everyone laughed at him.</p><p>“Damien, my good man! Truth or dare?” Angelo asked, wiping his hands on a towel Rilla threw at him.</p><p>“Hm. Truth,” Damien said.</p><p>“Do you have a crush on anybody?” Angelo asked, smiling.</p><p>“I will choose to strip in order to avoid this question,” Damien said, placing his can down and pulling his shirt over his head.</p><p>“BOO, you whore!” Caroline yelled from the bed. “That was such a <em>weak</em> question. Honestly. You don’t have to take your shirt off just because the <em>doctor</em> does, you know.”</p><p>“Why yes, I do. I must stand in solidarity with my friends, at any time they need it,” Damien said, balling up his shirt and leaving it in his lap.</p><p>“My knight,” Rilla said with a chuckle.</p><p>“Gross,” Caroline said. “Damien, take your pick.”</p><p>“Caroline,” Damien said, “truth or dare?”</p><p>“Hmm…. Truth,” Caroline said.</p><p>Damien pressed a hand to his chin, thinking. “What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve been caught doing by your parents?”</p><p>Caroline hummed again a moment, and then she sat up and started unbuttoning her already somewhat revealing shirt. “Strip. I am telling you nothing of my childhood, nice try.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Damien asked, shaking his head. “I thought it was innocuous enough. I didn’t know it was pertinent to your childhood. As well, you picked truth, so I had to try, didn’t I?”</p><p>Caroline threw her shirt towards Damien, and then turned the questioning onto Talfryn. He grimaced.</p><p>Eventually, the line of questioning landed back on Quanyii, and she fixed her eyes on Rilla, as usual.</p><p>“Rilllllllaa,” she said, and Rilla took another long drink from her cup.</p><p>“Quanyii,” she said.</p><p>“Truth or dare, babe?”</p><p>“…Dare,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Make out with Damien, then give him a hickie,” Quanyii said with no hesitation.  </p><p>Rilla scoffed, “So now you’re playing softball? C’mon, that’s tame, especially for you,” Rilla took another drink from her cup.</p><p>“Then quit stalling, boo,” Quanyii wiggled her eyebrows and Rilla shook her head.</p><p>“Fine,” she turned to Damien and then tilted her head. “You good? I <em>can</em> take off my pants, instead, if you want,” Damien’s eyes went wide for a split second before he made expression neutral, and he shook his head.</p><p>“I’m fine, you may kiss me,” Damien said, and Rilla shuffled onto her knees.</p><p>“It has to be <em>good,</em> too, Rilla.” Quanyii said, and Rilla just nodded and placed a hand on Damien’s shoulder, taking his cheek in the other hand.</p><p>She closed the distance a moment later and a couple of their friends whooped. Caroline whistled between her fingers. Rilla and Damien didn’t see it, but Talfryn averted his eyes with a sigh.</p><p>Rilla slowly prodded Damien’s lower lip and he let her slip her tongue into his mouth. He made a faint noise, and placed a hand on her side.</p><p>Quanyii said something Rilla didn’t quite catch, and Rilla laughed against Damien’s lips for just a moment before sucking his tongue into her mouth this time.</p><p>Their friends started chatting among themselves so as to not just stare at the two of them, not that either of them noticed.</p><p>Damien gripped her side just a bit tighter for a moment before she slowly pulled away. Then, Rilla used her fingertips to tilt Damien’s neck, and kissed him there instead.</p><p>“Saint Damien, your tranquility,” Rilla heard Damien whisper just loud enough for her to hear. She laughed before latching onto his skin and sucking hard. She heard Damien take in a measured breath.  </p><p>Damien bit down on his lip and did his best to keep in mind that he was still in a room full of people as Rilla grazed his neck with her teeth, and then kissed him again, holding tightly onto his shoulder as she drew a mark to his skin.</p><p>“There,” she murmured, pulling back. A moment later, Rilla glanced over and noticed that Arum had, at some point, been waved into the room and Quanyii was saying something to him, a hand on his forearm.</p><p>“Oh, hey!” Rilla said, “wanna join, Arum?” she asked.</p><p>Arum blinked at her, saying, “uh.”</p><p>Rilla didn’t give him a second chance, smirking, “Truth or dare?”</p><p>“Um. Truth?” Arum asked.</p><p>“Hmmm,” Rilla finally sat back down, rubbing her knee absently. “Okay,” she said, nodding, “if <em>you</em> had to infiltrate a castle on a secret mission to take down a kingdom with somebody from this room, who would you take with you and why?”</p><p>Arum tilted his head. “Huh,” he said, and Angelo laughed.</p><p>“What a creative question, Rilla,” Angelo said.</p><p>“Thank you!” Rilla said, and she picked up her cup and drank from it. It was almost immediately empty, and she pouted.</p><p>“Hm… If I were to infiltrate a castle to take down a kingdom with somebody in this room, I would go with…. Damien?”</p><p>“Me? Really?” Damien said, tilting his own head.</p><p>“How come?”</p><p>“Well,” Arum cleared his throat. “Angelo would be capable, but perhaps not excellent for stealth missions. I’m thinking the same for Quanyii,” he said.</p><p>“I bet I could be a great castle infiltrator if I <em>wanted</em> to be,” Quanyii insisted with a pout. Arum shrugged.</p><p>“I also know Damien better. I suppose Amaryllis would be the next best choice, but, I feel Honeysuckle might offer better…. Protection. You know, the knight thing.”</p><p>“Fair enough!” Rilla said. “Okay, now, it’s your turn to ask somebody truth or dare,” she said. Arum nodded.</p><p>“Angelo,” Arum said. Before he could ask the question, Angelo yelled,</p><p>“Dare!”</p><p>Rilla offered some help when Arum struggled to come up with something, and they continued playing for another round or so after that, before deciding to disband and go back out to the actual party that was still raging in the background.</p><p>Quanyii flew out the door, Angelo got up to get a new drink, and Caroline slowly got off the bed and retrieved her shirt. Arum lingered behind, though.</p><p>“Rillllaa,” Damien said, as she got up saying she needed to get a new drink.</p><p>“What?” Rilla asked.</p><p>“Your shirt, my dearest,” he said, picking up his own shirt and pulling it back over his head.</p><p>“Oh my God,” Rilla said, and then she laughed. She looked around. “I can’t find it!” she said, pouting.</p><p>“This <em>your</em> room, my darling flower,” Damien said, with a mild exasperation, “you can just get another one.”</p><p>“Is this it?” Arum asked, bending down and grabbing a white blouse.</p><p>“Yes!” Rilla said, taking it from him. “Thank you,” she said, and she shimmed herself back into her shirt. Then she looked at the mirror, grimacing at the smudges on her lipstick. She grabbed a tissue and did what she could to fix it.</p><p>“No worries, tktktk.”</p><p>“Are you having fun, Arum?” Damien asked as he finally stood up himself. He put a hand on his neck where Rilla had bruised him, massaging the spot. His hand came back with some of the lipstick that had been smudged on his fingertips. He took a moment to glance in the mirror as well, doing what he could to wipe Rilla’s lipstick from his face and neck.</p><p>“Um, yes. I am” Arum replied.</p><p>“Yaay,” Rilla said. After she tore her gaze from the mirror, she grabbed Arum’s upper bicep. “I want to go dance!” she said. So, the three of them trailed out of her room. Damien shut the door behind him.</p><p>“Are you demanding that I dance with you?” Arum asked, as she stopped at the edge of the little crowd of people dancing.</p><p>“Only if you want to,” Rilla said, but she smiled up at him with a pleading look.</p><p>“I… don’t know how,” Arum said, and Rilla took his lower forearms in her hands.</p><p>“It’s simple! You just.. move your body,” she said, encouraging him gently to sway with her.</p><p>Arum had a pinched look on his face, but he did his best to move the way Rilla was dictating. Her instructions were vague, but she looked pleased anyway.</p><p>Damien chuckled from beside them and Arum shot him a look. “I am not laughing at you!” Damien said quickly. “If anything, I’m laughing at her,” Damien said, placing a hand on Rilla’s back for just a moment.</p><p>“Why are you laughing at me?” Rilla asked with a pout.</p><p>“You’re as drunk as a skunk, my Rilla,” Damien said, laughing again.</p><p>She stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re drunk, too!” she said.</p><p>“I know this, but, you are much more drunk than I,” Damien maintained and she just made faces at him. He bopped his finger on her nose and she scoffed.</p><p>“Hey!” she said, sticking her tongue out. He tried to bop her nose again and she tried to lick his hand, and they laughed.</p><p>Then, Rilla looked back at Arum, as if remembering he was still there, even though she was still holding his arms in her hands. She pressed her lips together and went back to trying to encourage him to move with her, swaying her shoulders.</p><p>Damien swayed back and forth a bit beside them, humming to the music, and Arum danced with Rilla to the best of his ability.</p><p>“If I’m bad, you cannot judge me,” Arum said a couple moments later, clearly skill self-conscious. </p><p>“We aren’t judging you!” Rilla said, and then she put her arms around him in a hug. “You’re a fine dancer, Arum!”</p><p>“I… do not agree with that, tktktk,” Arum said, but he hugged her back, loosely. She made him sway again. “Anyway, it’s my understanding that the two of you have taken <em>lessons</em>, and I have hardly ever danced before in my life.”</p><p>“You’re doing fine!” Rilla stressed. “It’s not about being good, especially not when you’re drunk as hell at a party,” Rilla pulled back just enough to look up at him, her arms still around his middle, between the sets of arms. His lower hands were on her hips, holding her gently.</p><p>“I will be right back,” Damien said with a little smile. “And for the record, Arum, I agree with Rilla. You’re doing fine, and it’s just about having fun,” he said. With that, he tapped Rilla on the shoulder and left the two of them there for a moment.</p><p>Arum continued to let Rilla manhandle him into dancing. He still didn’t believe he was doing even a passable job, but she seemed incredibly satisfied anyway, and he couldn’t bring himself to be the one to wipe that smile off her face.</p><p>Not long after Damien came back, Rilla asked them to go on a walk with her, so they did.</p><p>Outside, Rilla, stood between them, swinging their arms back and forth as she tried to convince Damien to let her go into the forest.</p><p>“Now, of all nights, you want to go into the woods? Rilla, the Spirits are working, and some of them may be malicious, you know,” Damien argued.</p><p>“You’d protect me, Sir Damien!” she loudly insisted, and Damien shook his head.</p><p>“Of course I would, but, I would prefer you stay out of situations in which you’d <em>need</em> my protection in the first place. Arum, back me up here,” Damien said, and Arum shook his head.</p><p>“I… don’t think the forest is all that dangerous.” Arum said, and Damien gave him a wounded look, “I live in a wetland within the woods, after all. But it <em>is</em> dark, and late, and I wouldn’t want to get lost out there, tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla gasped as an idea popped in her head, “Take us to <em>your</em> forest, then- we won’t get lost!”</p><p>“Hm,” Arum said, “I guess we could go back to my Keep, if you really wanted.”</p><p>“Really?” Rilla said, letting go of Damien’s arm to cling to Arum with both her hands. “It sounds so cool, from what you’ve told me.”</p><p>“I mean, a magical Keep that sustains an entire swamp is.. pretty cool, I guess,” Arum said.</p><p>“Take me, take me,” Rilla demanded, a grin on her face.</p><p>“We could always go another day,” Damien said gently, placing a hand on Rilla’s shoulder.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Arum said. His stuff was back at Rilla’s apartment, but he could call the Keep so long as he was outside. So, Arum extracted his arm from Rilla's grasp and picked up some dirt from the side of the walkway and created a portal.</p><p>“Oh, Saints!” Rilla said with wonder as Arum waved the two of them forward.</p><p>“I must admit, that <em>is</em> cool,” Damien commented as he walked through. They landed right outside Arum's Keep.</p><p>The first thing they noticed was the difference in sound. There was a humming coming from insects and animals, rather than the humming of lamps on the path.  </p><p>“This is my Keep,” Arum said, waving them through as well.</p><p>“It's sooo cool,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Keep,” Arum said, “um, this is Rilla. Forgive her intoxication. And Honeysuckle. Er, Damien.”</p><p>The Keep sung in recognition and Rilla's eyes went wide.</p><p>“I know you said it was alive, but… wow,” Rilla laughed and touched one of the walls. Damien glanced around himself.</p><p>“This is quite fascinating,” Damien agreed.</p><p>The Keep sung more, and Rilla laughed again.</p><p>“I am way too drunk for this. Arum! Show us around,” Rilla latched onto his arm, once again, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“Well, since you asked so nicely, tktktk...”</p><p>Rilla giggled, “Sorry, sorry. Give us a tour <em>please</em>, Lord Arum.”</p><p>“Lord?”</p><p>“You live in a Keep,” she said, as if that explained it. Then, Rilla reached for Damien with her free arm. “My lord, and my knight,” she said, laughing again. Damien offered his arm.</p><p>“Shall we?” Damien asked, and Arum nodded.</p><p>Arum started showing them around, though as soon as they reached the greenhouse, their tour came to an end. Rilla was over the moon, walking around and asking about all of the plants. Damien settled near some flowers and watched as Arum patiently explained as much as he could to the very drunk, very excited Rilla, who was clinging to him periodically and running away from him the rest of the time.</p><p>Damien ran his fingers over the flowers and yawned. He had no idea what time it was, but eventually Arum decided to wrangle Rilla out of the greenhouse and Damien got up to follow them again.</p><p>They landed in Arum’s bedroom, which had some neat experimental, or possibly magical, looking things on some desk, which Rilla flew towards like a moth to light.</p><p>“What’s this?” Rilla asked.</p><p>“I will explain this to you later. Tomorrow, perhaps,” Arum said. He sounded tired and only a bit exasperated.</p><p>Damien laughed as Rilla scowled at him. Rilla sighed, but continued to look at the vials and stuff.</p><p>“Don’t touch,” Arum said as Rilla reached her hand out. He took her arm, gently, and she groaned at him.</p><p>“Boo. No fun,” Rilla said. Arum just narrowed his eyes at her before going to sit on his big, round bed. Rilla kept looking at the stuff on the desk, hovering near it but never touching.</p><p>Damien gravitated towards the bed with Arum, yawning into his arm.</p><p>“She… has a lot of energy, for somebody who doesn’t sleep much,” Arum said, and Damien laughed.</p><p>“Yes, that’s our Rilla,” he said. “Always has time to be interested in something new,” Damien said. “It is getting quite late, though,” he said slowly.</p><p>Arum placed a hand right behind Damien’s back, and Damien smiled over at him. Damien leaned his head back on Arum’s shoulder a moment later.</p><p>Rilla eventually wandered back over to them, sitting on Arum’s bed for only a moment before she flopped onto her back. “Your bed is so big. I’m so jealous. It was really fun, that one night you stayed at Damien’s, but… so squishy,” she said.</p><p>Damien yawned, “It is a cruel fate that the beds provided by the university are so small. It’s as if they are be meant to be occupied by person, not three.”</p><p>Rilla laughed. “They should really take into account the people who want to sleep with each other,” Rilla paused, then said, “wait.”</p><p>Damien breathed in a laugh, “I get the feeling they may not wish to promote that, actually. Not that… college isn’t filled with <em>those</em> sorts of things, for most people, anyway,” Damien said.</p><p>“Trueeeee,” Rilla said. She pressed her face into the covers of Arum’s bed. “We should go home, Damien,” she said, but her voice was muffled.</p><p>“You… could stay here. I stayed over with the two of you, after all,” Arum said, biting his tongue inside his mouth.</p><p>“Really?” Rilla said, turning her face back up.</p><p>“If you’re certain, Arum. We wouldn’t want to impose,” Damien said. “And we would have to return fairly soon after waking up. Unfortunately, I did not bring my medication.”</p><p>“No worries,” Arum said, “it <em>is</em> very easy for me to magically transport us places. But. It’s pretty late to be going home,” he reasoned.</p><p>“I’m in,” Rilla said. She stood up, and unhooked the eye on the side of her skirt, and stepped out of it. She was wearing some dark brown shorts that went to her mid-thigh underneath.</p><p>“Oh Rilla,” Damien muttered, but she either didn’t hear him or didn’t care. Arum’s pupils went a little wide, but it would be hard to tell in the light.</p><p>Arum stood up, going to grab some shorts of his own to sleep in. It was warm, in the Keep.</p><p>“Damien,” Rilla said, “can I have your shirt?”</p><p>“What?” Damien said.</p><p>“I want your t-shirt,” Rilla said, “to sleep in.” Arum glanced back at the two of them talking, because he couldn’t help himself.</p><p>Of course, Damien was taking off his shirt and handing it over to Rilla with a bemused expression on his face.</p><p>“Thanks,” Rilla said. She took off her own shirt, and dropped it on the floor. She was wearing a purple bra with black flowers on it. She shimmed Damien’s shirt over her head. Then, she unhooked her bra from under the shirt and took that off, too, dropping it on the floor next to her shirt.</p><p>Damien shook his head at her, “Anything for you, dear Rilla,” he said, watching her carefully.</p><p>“I will. Be right back,” Arum said, leaving with some shorts in hand. When he came back, he was carrying three tall glasses of water. Damien and Rilla were laying side by side on his bed. Rilla had her chin in her hand, elbow resting on the bed, Damien was saying something to her.</p><p>“Hey,” Rilla said, when Arum approached. She pushed herself back up.</p><p>“I brought water,” Arum said.</p><p>“Oh, that is so thoughtful, Arum,” Damien said with a smile. Arum held out the cups and Damien sat up as well. The two humans took the cups, and drank the water.</p><p>Arum took the cups back when they were done and put them on the table near his bed.</p><p>“You’re not gonna sleep in your pants, are you, Damien?” Rilla was asking. “They don’t look comfortable.”</p><p>Arum walked back over to them and sat on the bed as Damien grimaced a bit. “I mean. I suppose I don’t have to.”</p><p>“Why would you?” Arum asked, and Damien shrugged his shoulders.</p><p>“Do you mind pointing me to the bathroom, dear friend?” Damien asked. Arum got up and showed him down the hall, and then returned.</p><p>Rilla was lying on the bed again. “It’s really comfy here,” she said, running her hand over the comforter.  </p><p>“I’m glad you enjoy it,” Arum said.</p><p>“I wanna live in a hut in the woods,” Rilla said. Arum tilted his head.</p><p>“Do you think Damien would enjoy that?” Arum asked.</p><p>“Maybe,” she said, humming.</p><p>A moment later, Damien entered in nothing but boxer shorts, his pants folded neatly.</p><p>The three of them climbed into bed in a similar formation to the last time, except that there was no side of the bed that was against a wall. Still, Arum was in the middle between the two humans, who curled onto their sides towards him.</p><p>“Goodnight,” Rilla said.</p><p>“Goodnight, my sweet Rilla, and my dear Arum,” Damien said, yawning one final time.</p><p>“Goodnight,” Arum repeated.</p><p>The Keep sang goodnight, which made Rilla laugh with excitement. After that, they all fell asleep quite readily.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>title of this chapter  "there was only 1 bed 2; electric boogaloo"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>More florence + the machine lyrics in this one. also, I don't know if I've explained "lo-ri dueling", but, but it's something I made up based on my very limited knowledge of fencing. it stands for "low risk dueling"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another week or so passed, and another Thursday night came around. This time, Rilla was buzzing with nervous excitement, and Damien seemed to be feeling about the same. He was, perhaps, even more nervous than Rilla herself.</p><p>Arum quickly found out this was because Damien had finished a new song, and he and Rilla had been practicing and perfecting it. They had the music ready to go with help from Quanyii, Marc, and Talfryn, and they were excited to share it.</p><p>Rilla was second in line at the Open Mic Night. All of their friends were there, drinking, and Rilla was squeezing Damien’s hand the entire first act.</p><p>“You’re going to do great,” Arum told her as she stood up.</p><p>“You will be beautiful up there,” Damien assured her, flashing Arum a quick smile before squeezing Rilla’s hand one final time.</p><p>Rilla nodded, breathed out a “thanks,” and then went up to the mic.</p><p>Her friends cheered for her and she smiled. “Thank you, everyone. My name is Rilla, and I’m hear to sing a couple songs for you, both written by my best friend, Damien,” she said, and she gestured towards Damien in the crowd. “We have a new one for you tonight, so, that’s exciting,” Rilla said. Then, she took a deep breath and nodded to the MC to play the music that had been recorded.</p><p>It started off slow, and became more intense, and just a bit quicker as it went on. Rilla sang with a passion, and it was, indeed, beautiful.</p><p> The lyric that stuck out most, at least to Arum, was,</p><p>“<em>And with one kiss<br/>You inspired a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years. <br/>What kind of man <br/>Loves like this?</em>”</p><p>When the music stopped, the crowd cheered loudly, especially their group of friends. Caroline even whistled, and Rilla beamed.</p><p>“Thank you, thank you,” Rilla said. “I have one other song for you, also written by Damien. It’s an oldie, though, so many of you might recognize it. And I hope all of you enjoy it,” she said, and then nodded for the music to start again.</p><p>Rill started to sing again, shutting her eyes this time,</p><p>
  <em>“And it's my whole heart,<br/>Weighed and measured inside…” </em>
</p><p>Again, she sang passionately, looking out to her friends after a while. As always, Damien mouthed the lyrics in time with her, looking delighted. The rest of her friends looked on, many of them proud. It was a good feeling.</p><p>Once she finished, she crowd applauded a second time, and she thanked them sincerely before returning to her seat.</p><p>“You were <em>amazing,</em> radiant, beautiful, a beacon of talent and creativity, I was mesmerized by you,” Damien said, his arm coming around Rilla as she laughed lightly.</p><p>“Thank you, Damien,” Rilla ducked her head, avoiding his gaze.</p><p>“I concur,” Arum said. “You sing beautifully, Amaryllis.”</p><p>The rest of the group congratulated her at once, and Rilla just smiled, and thanked them profusely for the compliments before starting to wave them off.</p><p>They then did their best to quiet down for the next performance. For the most part, anyway.</p><p>After the Open Mic was over, they all got drinks, and then migrated over the pool tables, as usual. They played a couple rounds, jokingly competitive.</p><p>“How do you feel, Amaryllis, tktktk?” Arum asked after their first game, leaning against one of the tall stools near the wall.</p><p>“About losing at pool?” Rilla tilted her head, then made a “eh” noise.</p><p>“Your performance,” Arum corrected, and Rilla laughed.</p><p>“Right. It went well! I’m sure I will get even better the more I sing that song. Did you like it?”</p><p>“I did,” Arum said, and he glanced at Damien, who was still playing pool against Caroline and Quanyii. “It was… intense, the first one.”</p><p>“Yeah, I really like it!” Rilla said, “Damien is just so… creative. He wrote most of it during the mid-term season, somehow. Nothing like tight deadlines to spur you to finish an entirely different, unnecessary project,” she shook her head and laughed. Arum made a noise of amusement.</p><p>“You two are… something else,” Arum said, and Rilla just flashed a smile.</p><p>They stuck around for another while, chatting, having fun, before disbanding their group. Arum hugged Damien, and Rilla, and Angelo, before he headed off, and Damien and Angelo went back to their dorm rooms to chat.</p><p>It was a good, if typical, evening.</p><p>--</p><p>Only a few days later, Arum and Damien were studying together, in the library. Something seemed just a bit off with Damien, though, so Arum tilted his head and asked,</p><p>“How are you, today, Honeysuckle?”</p><p> Damien sighed wistfully. “Oh, I am doing fine, for the most part. I was just on an awful date last night, though,” he said.</p><p>Arum tilted his head. “Oh?” he said. It seemed very strange, that, Damien would complain that, to him no less. He couldn’t fathom Damien and Rilla having a bad date, they were such a good couple.</p><p>“Yes. He was <em>so</em> rude,” Damien shook his head. “I… well, I’m not sure whether I have mentioned this before, but, well- I don’t tend to, let’s say, ‘put-out’ early on in a relationship and most people are at least <em>understanding </em>about that. Suffice to say, he was not. But, at least I avoided wasting my time on the likes of him,” Damien said with a scoff in the back of his throat.</p><p>“Oh. I’m sorry to hear he was a jerk,” Arum said, nodding slowly. “So… forgive my bluntness, but, are you in an open relationship then, tktktk?”  </p><p>Damien tilted his own head, his eyebrows raising. “What?” he asked.</p><p>“You and Amaryllis,” Arum explained, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. “You… see other people?”</p><p>Damien let out a laugh, sounding almost nervous. “Rilla? And I? You thought we were- haha goodness me. Oh, my,” Damien covered his mouth with his hand.</p><p>Arum’s pupils narrowed and he tilted his head in confusion. “Wait. What? You and Rilla <em>are</em> together, right?”</p><p>Damien didn’t get a chance to respond, though Arum noticed he was flushed.</p><p>“Hey, you two,” Rilla said, coming to stand at their desk. “I was just coming to say hi… did I hear my name?” Rilla looked back and forth between them. “Also, Damien… you don’t look so good. Are you okay?”</p><p>Damien nodded his head, a bit too quickly. “Oh, hi, Rilla! I’m fine! Perfectly fine,” he cleared his throat.</p><p>Arum looked between the two of them. “I was just telling him I thought the two of you were dating, tktktk,” Arum stated plainly. Damien stared at him.</p><p>Rilla let out a laugh of her own, much more innocuous than Damien’s, “Oh! Yeah, no. we’re.. we’re not dating,” Rilla explained. Arum nodded his head.</p><p>“I’ve gathered,” Arum said, but he still looked disbelieving.  </p><p>“Yes, how funny!” Damien said, a tight smile forced on his face. “How silly of you, to think that we- would be dating,” Damien nodded. “This is a big misunderstanding, Arum. And, just so- hilarious to think that <em>you</em> thought, this whole time, that we were <em>dating</em>! How absurd, and preposterous. No, we are simply close friends. Extremely close friends, who are not at all dating,” Damien concluded with yet another nod. Rilla’s brows drew together.</p><p>Arum narrowed his eyes, “It sounds more like you’re secretly dating when you say it like that, but that would make even less sense, Honeysuckle. So, I’m going to take you at face value.”</p><p>Rilla bit down on her lip, “Um. Are you okay, Damien?”</p><p>“Hahaha. Of course, of course. I am just fine, Rilla. I just find it so- funny. That he thought we were dating! And-oh. I think I just, yes,” Damien paused, looking over his shoulder, “yes, I hear Angelo calling for me. I must away, you understand, he might be in trouble. I’ll bid you both goodbye until we meet again, okay. Byenow,” and Damien shoved all his stuff in his bag in the most haphazard way Rilla had ever witnessed him do, and he all but ran away.  </p><p>“Damn,” Rilla said, watching him go. Then, she turned back to the table, blinking.  </p><p>“Amaryllis?” Arum tilted his head at her, as she stared at the table.   </p><p>“Okay, I mean. It wasn’t like I thought Damien wanted to date me, but I didn’t realize he was so… adamantly against the idea. That the thought <em>clearly</em> makes his skin crawl? I don’t know, it’s just- A little hurtful, I guess,” Rilla explained, looking up.</p><p>“What. What are you talking about? Damien is in love with you,” Arum scoffed.   </p><p>Rilla’s breath caught in her throat, “What are <em>you</em> taking about, you saw how he just reacted when you said you’d thought we were dating! I don’t think Damien likes me, not like ‘that’, why else would he react that way?” Rilla used airquotes, and spluttered at the end.</p><p>“For the exact opposite reason?” Arum maintained. “He obviously is head over heels for you, and, at the insinuation that the two of you were already dating, he got nervous and fled. I- it makes sense, since the two of you are not already dating, which, I am still reeling from that, mind you.” Arum shook his head. “It’s quite clear <em>both</em> of you like one another.”</p><p>Rilla’s cheeks burned, though it didn’t show up all that well on her flesh. Arum could still tell she was embarrassed from her expression. “I.. have to disagree.”</p><p>“You.. don’t like Damien?”</p><p>“No, it’s not that- I mean, I don’t <em>not</em> like Damien, I guess, I just. I haven’t really given it that much thought. I mean. If he asked me out, well-” Rilla cut herself off and sighed. “Anyway, I disagree, because, Arum... Damien likes <em>you</em>. He probably reacted so badly because he was startled by the fact that he’s been ruining his chances by leaving you under the <em>impression</em> that he likes me.”</p><p>“I- no. There’s no way <em>that’s</em> true,” Arum said, his pupils narrowing in that way they did, portraying his annoyance. “He likes you, Amaryllis.”</p><p>“Yes, there is! I see how he looks at you. It’s <em>you</em> he likes, Arum. And I don’t want to stand in the way, if you, y’know… like him back. Even if I do sort of have feelings for him, kind of. I’ve been his friend for years, we’ll be fine,” Rilla paused. “Do you.. like him back?”</p><p>“I still don’t agree with your assessment that <em>I </em>am the one he likes, Amaryllis. But I suppose, as you said, I don’t <em>not</em> like Damien. I… similarly, have pointedly not been thinking about it, as I was, you know- under the impression the two of you were in a closed relationship with one another,” Arum said, sounding cranky. Rilla nodded slowly.</p><p>“Right,” she said. “But, now you know we’re not…”</p><p>“And I will have to.. re-evaluate things. Still. I am certain it’s <em>you</em> Damien wants, not me, regardless of my feelings. I will prove this to you.”</p><p>“How? Arum, do <em>not</em> tell Damien that I- well, just, don’t repeat what I’ve said. You can’t say to him that I like him, I mean. If he does like you, and I’m sure he does, I doubt he’ll do anything, not if he thinks it will hurt me, and our friendship. I don’t think he returns the type of feelings I -sort of- have for him, but I know he holds me in an incredibly high regard, and if he thinks being with you will be painful for me….” Rilla cast her eyes down</p><p>“I won’t tell your secrets, Rilla. Of course not. I can be more crafty than that,” Arum said. “I will see you Monday, before class,” Arum said. Rilla nodded.</p><p>“Fine, fine,” she said. “Have a good weekend, Arum.”</p><p>--</p><p>On Monday, Arum was sitting in the cafeteria on campus once again, alone this time- but not for long. Rilla slammed her bag down, and then looked her phone.</p><p>“Amaryllis,” Arum greeted her, eyes narrowing as he took in the dour look on her face.</p><p>“Damien has been ghosting me. I’m gonna kill him,” she said. “It’s been three days since he fled us, and he’s sent me <em>two </em>messages, one ‘Sorry my dear I left my phone in the bathroom’ and then, ‘Sorry! Got busy with writing. Will text later’, that’s <em>it</em>. I usually get multiple paragraphs a day! If you think he likes me, how on earth do you explain this,” Rilla’s voice was venomous, placing her phone on the table. Arum picked it up in a hand and glanced at the messages.</p><p>He read Rilla’s text bubbles, saying, “Hey! Hows it going?” “Are you going to the shooting range today” “Did you want to watch a movie tonight?” “Guess not lol. Are you okay Damien?” “Damien. Can you at least let me know you’re alive”</p><p>And then Damien’s ‘Sorry my dear, I left my phone in the bathroom.”</p><p>And then Rilla messaged, “Okay. Well. Want to get dinner Monday night then?” “Damien. Did you just pick up your phone and then put it down again?!!” “Answer me you fiend.” “Damien… did I say something wrong? What is up.”</p><p>Which was eventually met with, “So sorry my darling Rilla! I am not mad, nor upset with you. You’ve done nothing wrong. I simply got busy writing. I will text later”.</p><p>And, finally, Rilla’s unanswered messages. “Okay, then.” “That’s okay.” “In that case just like tell me whenever you wanna hang again, I guess.” “Ill talk to you… whenever you text back.”</p><p>Arum’s nostrils flared. He didn’t believe he could have been wrong in thinking Damien was in love with Rilla, but Damien was not making it easy to argue for his case. He slid the phone back to Rilla.</p><p>“I will take care of this,” Arum said, voice deep and dark.</p><p>“How?” Rilla asked, and he shook his head.</p><p>“Leave it to me.” Rilla glared at him and Arum growled quietly. “He goes to lo-ri dueling this evening, right? The reason we have not crossed paths is my class schedule, but I can miss one lecture,” Rilla’s eyes bulged at the idea, but Arum went on, “I will confront him there and talk some sense into him. He’s obviously just panicking that his feelings for you may have been found out, and is scared to talk to you.”</p><p>Rilla bit her lip. “You don’t think… he wouldn’t distance himself from me just in order to…”</p><p>Arum tilted his head. “What are you saying?”</p><p>“No, nothing. I just. On Friday, I was certain that if he wanted to be with you, but thought it might hurt me, that he wouldn’t do it. But, now it feels like… He likes you, but <em>you</em> thought he liked <em>me</em>. So, now he’s distancing himself from me so <em>you</em> will <em>know</em> he doesn’t like me.”</p><p>“Now <em>that </em>is preposterous,” Arum all but spat, “If that were true, Damien is not the man either of us know, and it would be a waste of breath and tears to care for him a second longer. However, I’m certain it’s <em>you</em> he likes and he is just afraid of those feelings being found out. And If he <em>did</em> ruin your friendship just for a chance with me, it would be wasted effort on his part. I’d never stand for that, tktktkt.”</p><p>Rilla nodded slowly, “Yes.. Of course. And, thanks, for that, I appreciate the sentiment. I mean- I still don’t think he really likes me. He’s had years to tell me, and he tells me everything… but maybe there’s an alternate explanation!” Rilla put on an optimistic voice.</p><p>“Or maybe he likes you, and he is simply worried that you didn’t like him back,” Arum insisted. Rilla glared.</p><p>“Well. Whatever. I appreciate you going to talk to him tonight, though.”</p><p>Arum nodded his head. “Of course.”</p><p>Rilla hummed. They were quiet, only for a few moments. “You <em>really</em> think he likes me?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arum confirmed. “It’s blatantly obvious, and easily demonstrable. Aren’t you supposed to be the smart one here?”</p><p>“Well, in my defense, matters of the heart are <em>his</em> territory, which is why I find it hard to believe! If he really liked me, he would’ve said something by now,” Rilla reiterated.</p><p>“He does say so, Rilla. You aren’t listening for the right things, is all, tktktktk,” Arum’s gazed bored into Rilla’s, and she groaned back at him.</p><p>“Okay, like, what, then? If you’re the Damien whisperer, tell me what you know,” Rilla demanded.</p><p>“Gladly. First and foremost, the songs he writes for you to sing. Obviously, they are about you, this much is clear.”</p><p>“No, they’re not! The one he wrote most recently is about <em>you</em>. It’s even talking about a man, like most of them do,” Rilla argued.</p><p>“Oh, please. First of all, I am not really a ‘man’, I am a lizard and a monster. ‘Man’ refers to humans, sure, many people use it to refer to ‘person’, but that is unfair and <em>obviously</em> favors humans over others...”</p><p>“Well using ‘lizard’ would a) change the flow of the song, and b) be way too fucking obvious, Arum!” Rilla countered.  </p><p>“Secondly,” Arum went on, “most of the songs you sing were written before he met me. And, for the exact same reason you cited- he is writing the songs for you to sing, he must switch the pronoun so as to not make it <em>too</em> obvious. But the yearning and pining is there, and obviously it’s about you, tktktk.”</p><p>“Damien’s just a romantic! If his songs are your only argument, then I’m afraid you’re going to lose this debate.”</p><p>“I didn’t say they were my only argument, just one of the most obvious things. Next, aside from the past few days where he has been a bit of a tool, he jumps to your every beck and call.”</p><p>Rilla pressed her lips together, her cheeks warming again. “He’s just nice, and chivalrous, and has decided I’m his best friend. There’s a reason we call him Sir Damien! He’s basically a modern-day knight. He treats Angelo the same way.”</p><p>“He certainly doesn’t look at Angelo the way he looks at you. And he may be chivalrous, but you’ve said yourself, he treats you differently than others.”</p><p>“Well, yes. But just because we’re <em>best</em> friends and he takes that very seriously. I know Damien loves me, I’m not denying that, I’m just saying…”</p><p>“You don’t believe he’s in love with you, yes, yes.” Arum harrumphed. “How about this, then… you sleep in his bed no less than two days a week,” Arum replied.</p><p>Rilla's face burned, “So? That's, just- we're close. My room is usually messy, and his is neat, and he lives alone, so it makes sense! I’m sure its just..  him being nice, as always. Besides, <em>you </em>have also slept in his bed a couple times.”</p><p>“Well, yes. But we have already established the reasons you and I might want to sleep over at his place. The fact that he so readily welcomes you into his bed on a regular basis, and has for <em>years,</em> tktktk…” Arum trailed off with a trill and his pupils went big for a moment.</p><p>Rilla pressed a hand against her cheek. “Okay. Well. And I hate myself for saying this out loud to you, but…. If he has me in his bed so often <em>and</em> he likes me, isn’t it weird that he hasn’t, ahem, tried something?” Rilla groaned and looked away, “because he hasn’t!”</p><p>Arum also avoided her gaze. “He’s too… too courteous for that, Rilla, honestly. It would be inappropriate at best, a bed is a very intimate place, and if you reacted negatively that would be horrible.”</p><p>“I guess,” Rilla said, “yeah, that’s fair. Still. I don’t think it means that much that I stay over at his place so often!”</p><p>Arum hissed at her, “Well… I doubt there’s anything I can say to convince you otherwise presently. As I said, though… I believe I can gather proof, which you will believe more strongly than my word.”   </p><p>“If you tell him I said I liked him, Arum, I swear-.”</p><p>“I won’t,” Arum said, rolling his eyes. “I do have dignity, Amaryllis. We will drop this conversation until I can gather said evidence. It’s only been a couple days, after all, tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla rolled her eyes right back at him. “Okay, my dear <em>Lord Arum</em>, I will await the proof of something that isn’t even there- Shit!” Rilla said, as her eye caught the time on her phone. She grabbed her bag. “I need to get going. See you later.”</p><p>“Goodbye, Rilla,” Arum said, watching her leave. He sighed under his breath and opened up a textbook so he could pretend he had the ability to think of anything other than Damien for now.  </p><p>--</p><p>Later that evening, just before they entered the dueling court, Arum pulled Angelo aside and asked him to find a different sparring partner so he could spar with Damien, saying he really needed to talk and this was the best time for him.</p><p>Angelo grinned, “Of course! Go on ahead, then.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Arum said, his tongue coming between his teeth for a moment as he took a deep breath. He went onto the court, which had a bunch of circles on the ground, and found the one Damien was standing in, brandishing a slim sword with a capped blade.</p><p>Arum held his own sword in one hand. Neither of them were particularly amazing with the sword, mind you. Arum had learned Damien was actually quite proficient with the bow and arrow, and Arum himself simply went to lo-ri dueling as a form of fitness.</p><p>“Arum?” Damien said when his eyes landed on the lizard before him.</p><p>“Honeysuckle. The ghost himself,” Arum said, holding out his sword.</p><p>“Where is Angelo? And what are you speaking of,” Damien said, his brows furrowed. He slowly lifted his own sword as well, though, meeting Arum’s in the middle.</p><p>“He allowed me to take his place,” Arum said simply, moving into a beginning stance. Damien mirrored it. “Why have you been avoiding Amaryllis’s texts?” Arum demanded as their lo-ri duel started.</p><p>“What?” Damien thrust his sword forward and Arum blocked. “Oh. I am <em>not</em> ghosting Rilla! I have simply been busy writing.”</p><p>“Don’t lie to me, Honeysuckle,” Arum said, baring his teeth as he took a turn thrusting his sword. Their blades met. “You are ignoring her. Stop it.”</p><p>“I- I am not!” Damien insisted, faltering slightly. Then, he growled and redoubled his efforts. “I have been <em>writing</em>, and I don’t see what concern it is of yours! Besides, Rilla has gone many days without messaging me when she’s gotten caught up in an experiment, and I did not mean to slight her at all. I have apologized, and I will do so again. You needn’t butt in!”</p><p>“Amaryllis is my friend,” Arum said, “and so, you’ll recall, are you.” Arum thrust forward and got the upper hand for only a moment before they met in the middle again. “And in reality, you are both behaving ridiculously, tktktk,” Arum said, coming closer. Damien stood his ground. “You must talk to her.”</p><p>“Tell me, what are you on about? What do you speak of, say it plainly or not at all,” Damien said, glaring. He pressed forward as well, and shook his head when he realized they’d stopped the duel. He reoriented his body and his stance, and Arum did the same before they resumed.</p><p>“I’m talking about you running from your feelings for Amaryllis, and causing unnecessary heartache for both of you,” Arum said. “I may have been mistaken in thinking you were already dating, however, it’s clear that you both <em>want</em> to date one another, so… make it happen!”</p><p>“What?” Damien faltered again and Arum came close. “Saints-“</p><p>“You two!” they heard a bark and both looked over. Caroline approached, blowing a little whistle. “Get in proper stance, you’re far too close to stay safe. If you cannot abide by the rules, you’ll be removed in an instant. Nobody gets under hurt my watch, stop distracting one another.”</p><p>“Right. My apologies, Caroline,” Damien straightened his back and they took their stances again.</p><p>“Yes, sorry,” Arum said.</p><p>“I’m watching the two of you,” Caroline said, eyes narrowed. She pointed her finger at them. Then, she moved on.</p><p>“Anyway,” Arum said, and their swords met in a beginning stance again.</p><p>“You think that <em>I </em>like Rilla? And that.. that she likes me?” Damien laughed, the same nervous laugh as Friday, nothing like his usual chuckles or hoots of joy.</p><p>“Yes, it’s abundantly clear, Honeysuckle. Why else would you become a nervous wreck at the insinuation the two of you are dating?”</p><p>“That is not what happened,” Damien said, mouth agape.</p><p>“You’re a terrible liar, Honeysuckle,” Arum said, and Damien sputtered. They moved more carefully, their swords meeting as they thrust, parried, and blocked.</p><p>“Bu-I-Nhh-Ff- I am I <em>not</em> lying! I don’t have feelings for Rilla beyond deep <em>platonic</em> love and affections, I assure you, and if I did, well- she surely does not feel that way for me, so it would be a moot point.”</p><p>“Bullshit,” Arum said. “She’s not as obvious as you are, but she clearly likes you, too.”</p><p>“That is absurd!” Damien said, thrusting a touch more aggressively as his voice rose. “I believe your wires are entirely crossed, my dear lizard friend,” Damien said, and Arum blocked his sword, but Damien did not relent. “It’s <em>you</em> Rilla has a crush on, and my feelings-or, rather, the lack thereof of said feelings, are of no consequence in the situation.”</p><p>“Me?” Arum said, pushing back against Damien with bared teeth again.</p><p>“Yes, you,” Damien said, and then his eyes got a bit wider. “Yes, of course- you thought <em>we</em> were dating, so you would not say anything about your own feelings for Rilla, but it’s been clear to me for months now that she cares for you more deeply than a friend,” Damien explained. They slowed a bit as he reasoned. “So why, pray tell, are you here arguing with me when you could be confessing your feelings to her, and riding off into the sunset?”</p><p>This time, Arum only hissed in response, no words coming. So, Damien continued on.</p><p>“Are you here just to gloat? Which, you don’t have to do, because, well- that would imply that I have an issue with the two of you being together, which- I would not, you have my blessing! I am not in love with Rilla, after all, so why would this bother me?” Damien gave a little nervous chuckle.</p><p>“You are so full of shit, Damien,” Arum growled, thrusting forward and stepping closer, “You like Amaryllis, and I am <em>telling </em>you, Rilla likes you back! What are you waiting for? What are you scared of?”</p><p>“It is <em>you</em>, not I, who is full of shit, Arum!” Damien said. “Did-” Damien cut himself of, hopping back as Arum got closer again. “Did she, perchance, say something, anything, that gave you this impression? I just mean… For curiosities’ sake.”</p><p>Arum growled again. He promised he would not say what Rilla had confessed. “She has all <em>but</em> said it, Honeysuckle. No, I haven’t heard the words, but it’s clear as day. Ask Marc! Talfryn, Quanyii, even Caroline would probably tell you Rilla likes you. Unless she were trying to hurt your feelings, which,” Arum tilted his head as he spoke, and their movements slowed again as they both thought.</p><p>Damien took another few moments before speaking, their movements picking up again as he thrust his sword more and more aggressively. “Well. I simply cannot believe you, for I have seen with my own eyes Rilla likes <em>you</em>, and has given me no indication of what <em>you’re</em> asserting.” Damien narrowed his eyes again, “I do not know what angle you taking, except, perhaps, that you are trying to get me to confess to feelings – that I do not have- so I will fall on my face and you can then swoop in, because you are not confident enough in the idea that Rilla likes <em>you</em>, which, I tell you, is the truth. Perhaps this will give you clarity, if you get me out of the way? I do not know.”</p><p>“You are accusing me of trying to set you up?” Arum asked, his voice taking on a new level of genuine anger.</p><p>“I just,” Damien huffed, “I don’t mean to hurt you, but- why on God’s green and great earth, would <em>you</em> want <em>me</em> to be with Rilla? You so clearly love her yourself, Arum. I believe you to be a good person, you are a great friend- but who among us would put someone else’s affections in front of their own?”</p><p>“Not all of us are so cowardly, nor selfish,” Arum growled, and Damien grit his teeth. “I do care about Rilla, enough to want her to be happy! I want the same for you, you idiot, but you refuse to allow yourself the chance,” Arum came close, their swords higher than they should be in a lo-ri match.</p><p>Damien didn’t back down, “I simply have a hard time believing that <em>my</em> best friend might harbour feelings for myself that I would be unaware of! You’ve lost your mind if you think I wouldn’t <em>know</em> if Rilla liked me, and she does not, so there <em>must</em> be an ulterior motive to you trying desperately to convince me otherwise.”</p><p>“Please,” Arum spat, their swords pressing together, dangerously higher, “you are so full of it, and of yourself, you cannot see past your own worries to arrive at the truth! You and Rilla have this in common, always trying to complicate thing! Sometimes, the <em>simple</em> answer is the right one. Now,” the sword was closer to Damien’s chin, as Damien grit his teeth and pressed back.</p><p>Their eyes both flashed in realization that what they were doing was dangerous. They lowered their swords, and Damien glanced back to see if Caroline was there.</p><p>She wasn’t, so Arum came toe-to-toe with him, their swords staying low. Arum continued, voice a low growl “If you refuse to confess your feelings, that is your <em>foolish, idiotic</em> choice to make. But you must talk to Rilla, one way or another, because you’re hurting her feelings as it is, and I won’t stand by to let you do so.”</p><p>Damien drew in a breath through his nose. “I do <em>not. Have feelings. For Rilla,” </em>he hissed, voice low so only Arum could hear. “But,” his eyes flicked from Arum’s to his chest and back again, “I will redouble my apologies to her.”</p><p>“BOYS!” Caroline yelled, and the two of them looked over to see both Caroline, and Rilla herself, standing near the edge of their sparring circle.</p><p>“Our swords were lowered, Caroline, we were just... speaking, to one another,” Damien explained, pout in his voice.</p><p>“You still need to back up. Besides, it’s five minutes till close,” she said with a huff.</p><p>“Arum, Damien,” Rilla said, approaching the edge of their circle.</p><p>“Rilla!” Damien said quickly, his attitude changing entirely as he walked up to her, “I am so profoundly sorry for the lack of messaging the past few days! I am aware I’ve hurt you, and worried you, and I will do my best to not do so again, I promise you.”</p><p>“Oh… you’re not… mad at me, or something?” Rilla pressed her lips together.</p><p>“Of course not, Rilla, you’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. I was writing, as I told you- I was struck by inspiration, in all honesty, it was as if Saint Catherine herself came over me! I was reviewing one of the poems I was hoping to become a song, you know, ‘The heart is hard to translate, as it has a language of it’s own, It talks in tongues and quiet sighs’ and so on.”</p><p>“Oh! Did you finally finish it?” Rilla asked, glancing over at Arum. He looked cranky, but that wasn’t abnormal.</p><p>“Well, no- there is still something missing. However, reading this spurred a new story of mine, concerning languages of the heart, and the way love is shown, and lost. I will read it to you, if you like, perhaps after the next Open Mic, if you have forgiven me in time. I will understand completely if you are angry at me, in turn, for my ‘ghosting’. It was rude, and unthoughtful at best.”</p><p>“Damien, I can’t stay mad at you,” Rilla said with a little smile. “I’d just... appreciate more of a heads up, next time? I never realized how unusual it would be for you to not send me novel-length texts until you stopped for, like, no discernable reason,” Rilla shrugged.</p><p>“Yes, of course. I will not do that again,” Damien promised. Rilla smiled again.  </p><p>Then, Rilla cleared her throat and nodded. “So, um, Arum! Did you still want to… review our report, before tomorrow?”</p><p>“Yes. I will have to... go get changed, and we can go to the library, tktktk,” Arum confirmed, and Rilla nodded.</p><p>“Okay, I can wait, uh, outside,” Rilla said. Arum and Damien went back to the locker rooms to change out of the protective gear for lo-ri dueling. They didn’t speak to one another.</p><p>Damien caught up with Angelo to head over to the Home Safe program spot, and Arum met Rilla outside of the training space.</p><p>“So,” Rilla said, as they walked towards the library. “Did you... have fun, gathering evidence?”</p><p>“It was quite enlightening. Damien is even more stubborn than I realized,” Arum said, and Rilla laughed.</p><p>“Really? In what way,” Rilla asked.</p><p>“Well. I don’t want you to take this as counter evidence, because, to me, it all adds up. Damien is very resistant to admitting his feelings for you. He almost slipped up, a few times, though,” Arum explained.</p><p>“Oh, okay, so you have… nothing,” Rilla said, humming. “And I’m right.”</p><p>“No, quite the opposite. The Knight doth protest <em>too much</em>, which is an argument in <em>my </em>favor, tktktk,” Arum said.</p><p>“Right,” Rilla deadpanned. “Or, he just doesn’t want you to think he’s in love with his best friend, because that would be weird, and uncomfortable,” Rilla said.</p><p>“No, it’s not that,” Arum shook his head. “He also demanded to know if you’d given me any indication you liked him. Why would he want to know, if he did not like you?”</p><p>“Did you say anything? About me, y’know, possibly having those feelings. Not saying I <em>do</em>,” Rilla said, coming to grip Arum’s upper bicep. He growled, but it was incredibly non-threatening to her.  </p><p>“No. If I had, I’m sure he would have ran into your arms and swept you up into a romantic embrace. I told him I suspected you did, though, and he insisted you had a crush on me. <em>Me</em>, as if,” Arum laughed.</p><p>Rilla scoffed, and then said, “I mean, do you think <em>that</em> is also so unlikely?”</p><p>Arum took pause, tilting his head slowly. “Well, your affections obviously lie with Damien, so, I would say, perhaps, it would be unexpected if you were to like me. That is all, Amaryllis.”</p><p>“Right,” Rilla said, clearing her throat. “Yeah. I mean. I- well, I guess I have <em>told</em> you I sort of like Damien, though, I still don’t believe he likes me back. Did you get any indication that he might like <em>you</em>, or did you filter all of that out?”</p><p>“Why must the two of you accuse me of foul play? No, in fact, he accused me of trying to sabotage him,  in order to increase <em>my</em> chances at winning your affections, while still maintaining he doesn’t have feelings for you,” at that point, they arrived at the library and sat down in the No-Shush zone.</p><p>Rilla hummed. “Yeah, that would be… quite the plot. I mean, even if I didn’t have, like, any feelings for Damien, which, I mean- I don’t <em>not</em> have them-“</p><p>Arum cut her off, “Would you please just admit clearly that you like him?”</p><p>“No,” Rilla said, and then continued, “if he asked me out and I didn’t want to say yes, that wouldn’t change our friendship, and I don’t see how that would impact the prospect of, well, you and I, either way.”</p><p>“Well, what he told me was that he thought <em>I </em>was too preoccupied with the idea that you may like him to ask you out myself, and that this was a roundabout way to be sure you didn’t like him before I put my own feelings on the line.”</p><p>“That’s… stupid. That could backfire pretty badly, for you, if, in this situation, you did like me, but Damien and I liked each other. You would just be succeeding in getting the two of us together, and you’d be left alone.”</p><p>“That <em>would</em> be stupid, and it’s not what I’m trying to do. Obviously.”</p><p>“Right. Why <em>are </em>you trying to get me to confess to him?” Rilla asked. “You <em>do</em> like Damien yourself, you admitted it as much as I did, Friday night. You know we’re not dating, now. Why don’t you tell him you like him and see where it goes?”</p><p>“I’ve told you, time and time, Damien likes you, Amaryllis. Not even likes you, he <em>loves</em> you. If I were to tell him that I… had feelings, ones that I am not admitting to you right now so <em>don’t</em> try me, then it would get me nowhere. He is too caught up with you, Rilla. So, if I would lose either way, why not at least encourage the two of you towards happiness?”</p><p>Rilla smiled just a bit. “That’s… a really sweet sentiment. Or, bittersweet. But, I really wouldn’t be so sure that Damien doesn’t like you, Arum. And if he thinks you like me, no wonder he’s being so testy! He’s jealous, thinking you’ll choose me instead of him. I… think I understand now, more, why he hasn’t been texting me! I don’t necessarily think he wants to cut me out just because he sees me as competition, just that he’s hurt by the idea that you’d want to be with someone other than him.”</p><p>“I,” Arum started, then blinked his eyes slowly. “I don’t think so.”</p><p>“That’s all you have?”</p><p>“Your only argument against the idea that Damien likes you is ‘he would have told me’,” Arum spoke the last part in an approximation of Rilla’s voice, which she scoffed at. “Which is weak, and you know it. Not many people will confess amorous feelings to their best friend, risking changing that relationship and making the friendship feel uncomfortable. He does risk a lot, if he tells you and you don’t feel the same,” Arum insisted. Rilla scoffed again.</p><p>“I would never stop being his friend over that! He knows how much he means to me. I hope,” Rilla added, glancing down. Arum frowned.</p><p>“I’m sure- I didn’t mean to imply your friendship isn’t strong. Only that it’s terrifying to confess those types of feelings.”</p><p>“Right,” Rilla nodded, “I know. Anyway,” Rilla shrugged. She sighed. “I guess… I don’t think any of this is getting us anywhere. We won’t know Damien’s feelings until he tells us, and,” Rilla paused. “he won’t know ours unless we tell him,” Rilla added.</p><p>“I suppose… that’s true,” Arum said. “So, we just. Go back to normal? Pretend this little freak out did not occur?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rilla said with a nod. “As much as I hate uncertainty, and want to know everything I can… it’s probably best to just move on, for now. Wanna review that report?”</p><p>“Okay,” Arum said. So they did.</p><p>--</p><p>Wednesday night, Rilla decided to call off Open Mic for the time being, stating she was too busy. It wasn’t that, really. It was more what Arum insisted about the songs Damien was writing.</p><p>They didn’t all speak directly about lovers, not at all. Most of them didn’t, in fact. But… she had to admit, there was an uncurrent of yearning within the lyrics.</p><p>When looking over them, final drafts littered among earlier drafts and entirely unfinished poetry, she found the one Damien had referred to after the lo-ri dueling practice.</p><p>‘<em>And the heart is hard to translate<br/>It has a language of it's own<br/>It talks in tongues and quiet sighs<br/>And prayers and proclamations, in the grand days<br/>Of great men and the smallest of gestures<br/>In short shallow gasps.”</em></p><p>Damien said it was far too short and not finished enough, not even for a poem instead of a song. He said there was something missing, something he couldn’t put a finger on that he needed to have before he could continue.</p><p>Rilla had no understanding of what he meant by that. But, as she read over it a few times, she wrote.</p><p>“But with all my education, I can't seem to commend it” on the side next it. She hummed to herself, taking a new page, writing out the poem again with her addition, leaving room to add more.</p><p>Hours passed before she realized she hadn’t eaten yet, and she decided to get up to get herself some food, leaving about 5 pages of poetry with scribbles all over the page in her wake.</p><p>She was no poet, not like Damien, but… it was coming along well. Better than any other poem she’d tried to write before, anyway.</p><p>She hadn’t realized it when she’d started scribbling on the pages, but she’d decided she would finish the poem, use it to work through her feelings, and, perhaps… she would sing it, if it ever came to fruition.</p><p>It might not have been wise to add another thing to the roster, but, how much <em>more</em> sleep deprived could she get?</p><p>“Hey, Rilla,” Marc said, rolling into the kitchen with her. “Late supper?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she said. “Marc,” she paused. “Do you think Damien likes me?”</p><p>“Damien is, like, in love with you,” Marc said. “What do you mean ‘does he like me’, Rilla?”</p><p>“I mean just that,” Rilla said. “When you say that, you do mean <em>in love</em> in love with me, or, say, in love as a friend?”</p><p>Rilla scooped a spoon of soup into her mouth as Marc started up at his sister. “Rilla,” he said. Talfyrn scooted around Marc to grab a box of crackers and looked between them.</p><p>“What?” Rilla demanded. “Arum says Damien is in love with me, and I just don’t know! I think Arum likes Damien, and that Damien likes Arum, but Arum says he won’t tell Damien about his feelings because Damien likes me, and I also can’t tell if Arum maybe likes me <em>and</em> Damien… I haven’t considered <em>any</em> of this before because, well. I don’t have time for this shit. So. Is Damien in love with me?”</p><p>Marc and Tal looked at each other as Talfryn snapped a cracker in half with his teeth.</p><p>“Um,”  “Well, “Yeah,” “I mean he’s-” “Yeah,” the two of them stammered, looking at each other.  </p><p>“Damien’s in love with you,” they both said.</p><p>“Uh. Surprise?” Marc said, and Talfryn winced.</p><p>“We weren’t gonna just <em>say</em> anything, I mean- obviously, if he wanted you to know, he would say something, right?”</p><p>“Yes, our entire friend group has a bet on whe-“</p><p>“MARC!”</p><p>“What? Oh, yeah, that’s probably a bit insensitive,” he rubbed his neck. “But, well, it’s true. It’s so obvious he loves you, Rilla… we all figured he’d, y’know, man up eventually! So, we though we might as well guess when that might be, just for fun.”</p><p>Rilla blinked and sipped her soup. “Oh. Okay,” she said.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Talfryn asked. “Do you… do you like him back? We’re, uh, all, a little less certain about that, but, I mean, it sort of seems like you probably do? But. Not that we’ll tell him either way!”</p><p>“I… I think I do, yeah,” Rilla said slowly. “I haven’t been paying attention, to that sort of thing, but- I really, <em>really</em> like Damien. I’ve never felt so strongly for anyone, well, not until-” Rilla bit her lip again. “Oh, saints above,” she muttered. “This, <em>this</em> is why, I’ve been ignoring all possibility of liking anyone! It just complicates things. Ugh, romance sucks.”</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t envy you,” Talfryn muttered.</p><p>“No, no, I mean- obviously, it’s not for everyone! And that’s fine. But romance can be great! I mean, not that I’m not eternally single, but- this isn’t a bad thing, Rilla. Even if it’s Damien and/or the lizard,” Marc said, and Rilla whined in the back of her throat.</p><p>“I don’t have enough time to have strong feelings for anything other than medicine, Marc,” Rilla complained, pushing her empty bowl in front of her and placing her forehead on the table before groaning loudly.</p><p>“Well, at least you can rest assured that your feelings are reciprocated?” Talfryn said, though he didn’t sound confident in his statement. He walked over to pat Rilla’s back.</p><p>“Ugghhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” Rilla said. “I need a minute. And a drink. I have class at 9am tomorrow.”</p><p>“We’ll go out for drinks tomorrow,” Marc said.</p><p>“Also. I'm gonna take a few weeks off from Open Mic,” Rilla said, nodding firmly. </p><p>“Oh, okay. Sounds good,” Marc said.</p><p>Rilla heaved a sigh. “I need to start studying. See you both tomorrow,” she said, and the boys bid her goodnight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>alt chapter title: THE BOYS ARE FIGHTINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG (but all will be okay)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The song lyrics are from Florence + the Machine, specifically, All This and Heaven and Patricia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“My dear Arum, do you have a minute?” Damien asked, placing a hand on Arum’s shoulder in the middle of the hallway. When Damien dropped his hand to his side again, he dug his nails into his palm.</p><p>“Yes. I just got out of class,” Arum said, stopping. He looked down at Damien, expression neutral, which tended to come across as mildly annoyed.</p><p>“Good,” Damien cleared his throat, steadying himself with a breath. “I just wanted to extend my apologies to you, for.. how I acted, and how I spoke to you. I got quite defensive at the insinuation that was made and while I do <em>not</em> wish to elaborate any further on the subject matter.. The way I treated you and the things I said were uncalled for,” Damien took a deep breath. “I am deeply sorry. I will do my best not to speak to you like this again, Arum.”</p><p>Arum tilted his head slightly, “Ah,” he said. “Well, thank you for the apology, Honeysuckle. You’re right that it was uncalled for, but-, well, I was also more hostile than I should have been. So, I accept your apology and hope that you can forgive me, too.”</p><p>“Of course,” Damien said, smiling brightly as he let out a sigh of relief. “Friends?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said. He gave a brief smile as well.</p><p>“What are your plans for this evening?” Damien asked, and Arum told him he had none.</p><p>So, the two of them ended up at the campus bar with Rilla, where she explained she was,</p><p>“Working on a new project. So, unfortunately, I’m going to be taking a break from Open Mic Night for just a bit,” Rilla stated with a level of confidence that she may or may not have actually felt.</p><p>“Why, that’s okay, Rilla,” Damien said, “what is this new project you’re starting?”</p><p>“Oh,” Rilla said, hesitant. “It’s a secret.”</p><p>Arum tilted his head at her.</p><p>“A secret?” Damien asked, and Rilla nodded. “Well, okay,” he said, and he and Arum shared a look. Rilla just nodded, and switched the subject to something entirely unrelated, something about a class she took.</p><p>And things seemed normal, again. For the most part, anyway. Rilla was just a <em>touch</em> distant with the two of them, in an all but imperceptible way. If asked, she would insist it was the project she was working on eating up time and energy in her brain.</p><p>And, on the surface, things were totally business as usual. Rilla still slept over in Damien’s room, she still clung to Arum when they were walking places together. She wasn’t acting all that strangely, but there was something just a bit <em>off</em> about everything.</p><p>Or maybe they were paranoid. Damien did have a tendency to be anxious (to put it mildly… he was, in fact, on anti-anxiety medication after all), and Arum was always a skeptic. And, perhaps it wasn’t Rilla that was acting strangely.</p><p>Neither of them brought up the idea that Rilla might be acting strangely to one another directly, though they would share meaningful glances now and again.</p><p>Rilla did notice, for the record, when Damien and Arum looked at each other. And she wanted, badly, to sit them down and have a conversation about what happened.</p><p>Sitting down and talking like normal people would be the <em>smart</em> idea, but Rilla wasn’t nearly as smart as people liked to think she was. No, she wasn’t just smart, she was dedicated. And she was “extra”.</p><p>So. Dedicated and extra she would be.</p><p>Rilla couldn’t do it all alone, though.</p><p>About a week after her first skipped Open Mic Night, Rilla cornered Quanyii and asked if she’d come back to her place.</p><p>“Of course, babe,” Quanyii said with a wink. Rilla resisted rolling her eyes and jerked her head towards the door. “Oh, like, right now?”</p><p>“If you have time,” Rilla said. Quanyii shrugged one shoulder.</p><p>“Sure, boo,” she replied. So, Rilla and Quanyii walked back to Rilla’s apartment.</p><p>Thankfully, Tal and Marc were still out. Rilla took Quanyii back to her room.</p><p>“What’s this about, Rilla?” Quanyii asked, sitting on Rilla’s unmade bed. “It’s been a while since we’ve been alone in your room, you know,” Quanyii added, with another little smirk.</p><p>Rilla bit her lip and made a noise of amusement. “Actually, I need your help with something. You have to <em>promise</em> not to tell <em>anybody</em> about this.”</p><p>“Oooh, a secret?” Quanyii asked, her eyes lighting up. “I <em>promise</em>, I won’t tell anyone. Whatcha got?”</p><p>“Swear,” Rilla said, holding out her pinky finger. “Legit, swear, you won’t tell <em>anybody</em>.”</p><p>Quanyii gave her a pinched look, and scoffed, but hooked her pinky with Rilla’s. “Fine, I swear. I wasn’t gonna tell <em>loads</em> of people or anything.”</p><p>“Nobody can know, not until I’m ready,” Rilla said, voice severe. Quanyii made her eyes wide.</p><p>“Okay, I’m <em>dying</em>, babe. What is going on?”</p><p>“I’ve been… writing poetry,” Rilla said, going over to her desk and lifting up a few pages to find the ones she needed.</p><p>“Is that it?” Quanyii groaned.</p><p>“Also, I have a huge crush on both Damien and Arum,” Rilla said, and Quanyii yelled. Rilla winced, and brought the papers over and sat on the bed.</p><p>“BABE!” Quanyii said, wrapping her arms around Rilla, “Finally! Saint Eros himself couldn’t have smacked sense into you any sooner, could he?”’</p><p>“Shut up,” Rilla said, but Quanyii just cackled.</p><p>“So you wanna fuck the <em>lizard?” </em>Quanyii asked, shaking Rilla’s shoulders with her arms.</p><p>“And Damien,” Rilla said clarified, “yes. But it’s not <em>just </em>about sex. I’ve never felt this strongly about anybody, Quanyii. I don’t know how I didn’t see this before,” Rilla shook her head.</p><p>“Yeah, you and literally everyone who knows you,” Quanyii said, slowly unwrapping her arms from Rilla’s shoulders.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I know. Marc told me there’s a <em>bet?”</em></p><p>Quanyii snorted loudly, “That dumbass, he’s not supposed to <em>tell</em> any of you. To be fair, the bet did NOT account for you being horny for the lizard.”</p><p>“Can you, like, use his name?” Rilla, narrowing her eyes, “he’s a person.”</p><p>Quanyii just waved her hand, and then clicked her tongue. “Fine, yeah, I can see how that’s problematic. Sorry. It’s just… it shouldn’t come as a surprise you’d be one of the humans that’s, like, horny for monsters, it’s just- lowkey a bit funny. I’m not judging! I’m literally a witch, and, as you know, a bit of a slut myself,” Quanyii stuck out her tongue.</p><p>Rilla laughed and muttered, “You said it, not me,” under her breath.</p><p>“Other people <em>might</em> judge, which genuinely sucks,” Quanyii told her, as sincere as she was capable of being. “But I’m just teeeasing you, as your friend and former lover myself,” Quanyii concluded, placing a hand over her heart.</p><p>“Like I said, it’s not <em>just</em> about sex,” Rilla sniffed. “He is hot, though,” she muttered. Quanyii barked a laugh. “And I don’t care if people judge me. I’ve always been ‘weird’, that’s whatever.”</p><p>“That’s good. Don’t let the haters define your life,” Quanyii said, throwing up a peace sign in front of her face. Rilla chuckled. “Okay, babe! What do you need <em>me </em>for?”</p><p>“Okay,” Rilla took a deep breath. “Do <em>not</em> be a tool about this,” Rilla said, fixing Quanyii with a stare, “I just want your help with the poems I’m writing. I want to set them to music, like we do with Damien’s. I am hoping I can make them into songs, that I can sing, and, well- hopefully Damien and Arum will understand what I’m trying to get across when I do.”</p><p>Quanyii blinked, her eyes slowly going wide. “You’re writing them a <em>love song</em> to <em>sing for them, </em>as a big romantic gesture?”</p><p>“Don’t be a tool,” Rilla repeated.</p><p>“Nooo, that’s so sweet!” Quanyii gasped and yelled. “I love it,” she said. “Okay, how’s about this: I will do my best not to tease you too mercilessly if the lyrics are cheesy. In your defense, Damien would probably <em>adore</em> cheesy and I can’t really see Arum complaining regardless.”</p><p>Rilla nodded, “I think I can agree to that,” she said. Then, she looked down at the sheets in her hand, “Damien actually wrote part of this one,” Rilla explained, “I took one of his unfinished poems and then started to add to it. I mean, it’s sort of plagiarism, but I don’t think he’ll mind in the end.”</p><p>“Nah, I think that’s actually pretty sweet,” Quanyii said. So, Rilla took a deep breath and read out the poem.</p><p>It was nearly finished, she just wanted to work out the kinks, and she really needed Quanyii’s help setting it to music.</p><p>They went over the poem, Quanyii being surprisingly nice and helpful with only a bit of snark and teasing littered in, and they made plans to meet up at Quanyii’s place off campus over the weekend to start working on the music.</p><p>So, yeah. Rilla was increasingly a bit cagey where Arum and Damien were concerned, for the next few weeks as she worked on the songs with Quanyii. It was easy enough to brush off that look they kept giving each other and just talk about her schedule. Everyone got a little more irritable as exam season drew ever nearer, right?</p><p>To Rilla’s delight, she and Quanyii finished the songs, together with recorded music, just three weeks later. Exams were actually starting, which was both a curse and a blessing. It was so nice to not have to go to class, but on the other hand… exams.</p><p>Even so, their friend group was ever supportive, so when Rilla announced she wanted to go to Open Mic Night again, everybody showed up despite their exams. It was good to de-stress, after all.</p><p>Rilla was more nervous than she’d been at an Open Mic Night in years. Damien laced his fingers between hers as they sat to wait, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. It was both comforting, and making it even worse.</p><p>“Are you sure you want to perform, Rilla?” Damien was asking her, his brows knit. He knew her entirely too well. Rilla glanced at him, and then at Arum, who looked confused and just as concerned.</p><p>“Yes,” Rilla said, “this is important. It’s just… it’s been, what, at least a month since I’ve preformed? And, well. I have new material, actually,” she confessed.</p><p>Damien blinked at her, tilting his head, “Oh, really? What’s this?”</p><p>“You’ll see,” Rilla said. She pressed her lips together. “Remember that project I said I’ve been working on?”</p><p>“You were.. writing a song?” Arum asked. Rilla nodded.</p><p>“You’ll see,” she repeated, and then took a long drink of her water with her free hand. She wanted alcohol, but, water was best when she would be singing. Damien stroked his thumb along the back of her hand again, and Arum placed a hand on her shoulder as well a moment later. She gave them both a quick smile.</p><p>“You’re gonna do amazing,” Marc said as Rilla was called up to the mic, and Quanyii nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Rilla had, eventually, spilled to Marc and Talfryn and made them swear to secrecy, too, because they lived with her and it was <em>very</em> hard to keep secrets in their apartment. They assured her, time and time again, it would go well.</p><p>Rilla went up to the mic and her friends cheered, as always. “Thank you,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Um, my name is Amaryllis, I usually go by Rilla. I have two songs to sing tonight. I wrote them myself- mostly, anyway. And I’m dedicating them to two specific people, my friends, Damien and Arum,” she said. “So, yeah,” she said, and then nodded to the MC, Gary. Her hands were shaking.</p><p>The music started, and Rilla began to sing,</p><p>“<em>And the heart is hard to translate<br/>
It has a language of it's own<br/>
It talks in tongues and quiet sighs<br/>
And prayers and proclamations, in the grand days<br/>
Of great men, and the smallest of gestures<br/>
In short shallow gasps</em></p><p>
  <em>But with all my education<br/>
I can't seem to commend it<br/>
And the words are all escaping me<br/>
And coming back all damaged<br/>
And I would put them back in poetry<br/>
If I only knew how,<br/>
I can't seem to understand it.”</em>
</p><p>As much as she wanted to, Rilla couldn’t bring herself to look towards her friends in the crowd. So she shut her eyes, and when she opened them, glanced out past them.</p><p>If she looked, she would have seen Damien’s shocked face. She would have seen recognition on his face from the very start of the song.</p><p>Damien tilted his head as she went on, and his cheeks burned for a reason he couldn’t yet discern. Arum had a similar expression, though it learned more towards confusion. Arum glanced over at Damien, and their eyes met.</p><p>Rilla sang on, finishing the song with,</p><p>
  <em>“And I would give all this and heaven, too<br/>
I would give it all if only for a moment<br/>
That I could just understand<br/>
The meaning of the word you see<br/>
'Cause I've been scrawling it forever<br/>
But it never makes sense to me at all</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, words are a language<br/>
It doesn't deserve such treatment<br/>
And all my stumbling phrases<br/>
Never amounted to anything worth this feeling<br/>
All this heaven never could describe<br/>
Such a feeling as I'm healing, words were never so useful<br/>
So I was screaming out a language<br/>
That I never knew existed before”</em>
</p><p>As the song ended, the crowd cheered, Marc, Quanyii, and Angelo especially making their voices heard. She finally risked looking towards Damien and Arum, who were both clapping, but she couldn’t figure out the expression on their faces.</p><p>So, Rilla moved away from the mic and took a deep breath, then leaned in and said, “Thank you,” she said. “My second song is adapted from a poem about Saint Patricia, the patron of love,” she said, looking away from her friend group again. She moved away from mic to take another shaky breath, and nodded towards Gary.</p><p>The music started, and Rilla shut her eyes again before singing,</p><p>“<em>Oh Patricia, you've always been my North Star<br/>
And I have to tell you something, I'm still afraid of the dark<br/>
You take my hand in your hand, from you flowers grow<br/>
And you understand with every seed you sow, you make this cold world beautiful…”</em></p><p>Rilla opened her eyes but, again, could not bring herself to look over towards her friends.</p><p>Arum and Damien were looking at each other again every few moments, but mostly they kept their eyes on Rilla.</p><p>At once, they both looked to Marc and Angelo, who were both smiling in a way he thought could be considered “mysterious”. Quanyii was also grinning, though Damien would describe that as “shit-eating” and even Caroline had a glint in her eye. It made him wonder how much his friends knew.</p><p>Arum reached over brushed his lower hand along Damien’s leg beneath the table as their eyes met again. Damien put his hand on top of Arum’s, and they both glanced back at Rilla, experiencing feelings and emotions that they still weren’t able to place, entirely.</p><p>And finally, as the song was nearly finished, Rilla convinced herself to look over to her friends. She saw Damien and Arum glancing at each other, and sang,</p><p>“<em>Are you afraid? 'Cause I'm terrified<br/>
But you remind me that, it's such a wonderful thing to love<br/>
It's such a wonderful thing to love<br/>
It's such a wonderful thing to love” </em></p><p>That last line repeated another few times before the music trailed off, and she stopped singing. Her friends, and the crowd, applauded again.</p><p>“Thank you,” Rilla said, and she stepped away from the mic and towards her group of friends. Her knees were not quite steady.</p><p>“That was beautiful, Rilla,” Damien said immediately, and she nodded her head.</p><p>“Yes, you were… fantastic,” Arum said, and she smiled, nodding more.</p><p>“Thanks, thanks,” she said quickly. Then, Rilla took a deep breath, taking her seat between the two of them. “Hey,” she said, and the two of them looked at her with question on their faces.</p><p>“Yes?” Arum asked.</p><p>“Damien, can Arum and I come back to your place after this?” she asked, and then she glanced at Arum, “and, Arum, if Damien says yes, will you accompany me to Damien’s?”</p><p>“Of course you may come over, Rilla,” Damien said, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, uh, sure,” Arum said. Rilla nodded. She reached forward and took her glass, taking a drink of water.</p><p>“Okay. Well. I’m done here, do you wanna go?” she asked, and the two of them looked at each other over Rilla’s head.</p><p>“Yes, of course,” “Yeah, if you want, tktktk,” they each said, and Rilla nodded once more.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Rilla stood up, and they quietly said goodbye to their friends and excused themselves. Each and every friend they had were giving Rilla meaningful looks, and she glared at them. Damien and Arum looked decidedly perplexed.</p><p>As they exited the building, Rilla looped her arms in Damien and Arum’s and talked, the whole way to Damien’s dorm, about the upcoming exam she had, and how she thought she’d faired on the first one. They both made idle comments when they could get a word in, until they got back to Damien’s room and he unhooked his arm from Rilla’s to get at his keys.</p><p>Once they arrived in the room, Rilla reached forward and grabbed a hand from each of them. They remained standing, and looked towards her.</p><p>“Rilla?” Damien asked, tilting his head.</p><p>She took another deep breath, shut her eyes, and murmured “okay,” more to herself than anything. “So!” Rilla started, looking at their goregous but conflicted faces, “what did you think of my songs?”</p><p>“They were very beautiful, Rilla. I was very impressed by your poetry, it seemed you really… spoke you heart. Or, sung it, rather,” Damien told her with a firm nod.  </p><p>“I agree,” Arum added, “they were lovely songs.”</p><p>“Mhmm,” Rilla said, nodding her head. “Thank you. Okay, um, how about this, then? You heard that I was dedicating them to the two of you…” she trailed off.</p><p>“Yes,” both Damien and Arum said at the same time. Rilla squeezed their hands, her nails digging into their palms just a bit. Neither of them said anything.</p><p>“Right,” Rilla said. “So, uh, did you notice anything, about the songs? Like… any themes… or anything. Damien, you’re a poet,” she said, looking at him with wide eyes, like she was trying to make him understand.</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Damien said, “well. I would say, it was quite evident, that there was a theme of… love, within the songs. Longing, perhaps.”</p><p>“Right,” Rilla said, nodding. “Mhm. So… did you.. understand the meaning… of… all of that?”</p><p>“You are saying you… like us,” Arum said slowly, and Rilla let out a shaky breath.</p><p>“Um. Yes,” Rilla admitted. She nodded. “Yes, I was trying to say I like you. Both of you. And I suspect you like me back, and that you like each other,” she said, sounding more confident than she really felt.</p><p>“Yes,” Arum said immediately, which made Rilla smile at him, her eyes wide and sparkling. He squeezed her hand. Meanwhile, Damien just looked shellshocked.</p><p>“Damien?” Rilla said, and they both looked at him. “Um… what say you?” Rilla asked gently.  </p><p>“I… Oh, Saint Damien, your tranquility,” Damien murmured.</p><p>Rilla bit her lip, and Arum brought one of his free hands to Damien’s back. Damien glanced at him, and then back at Rilla.</p><p>“Damien?” Rilla repeated, slowly, and quietly.</p><p>“Rilla,” Damien said, pressing his lip together and then breathing out. “My Rilla, may I kiss you?” he asked.</p><p>A laugh bubbled up and spilled from Rilla’s lips. She glanced at Arum, and then back at Damien, nodding. “Um, yeah,” she said.  </p><p>Damien let go of her hands and brought them to her face, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her gently. Rilla kept holding Arum’s hand, but brought the other to Damien’s face.</p><p>It was a slow kiss, and not entirely unfamiliar. They’d kissed a number of times over the course of their friendship, after all. It still felt different, though. More significant.</p><p>Damien pulled back, and then glanced back at Arum. He took one hand from Rilla’s cheek and placed it on Arum’s face. Their eyes connected, and Arum bent forward just a bit for Damien to kiss the side of his mouth.</p><p>Rilla laughed again, and leaned forward to kiss Arum on the other side of his face, and Arum took the chance to slide his arms around both of their waists, pulling them closer.</p><p>“Arum,” Rilla said, “can we…” she reached up and gently pulled his face more towards herself. He nodded, and she pressed her lips to the front of his mouth, then pulled back just a touch and parted her lips, glancing up at his eyes.</p><p>Arum opened his mouth to let his tongue touch hers slowly and Rilla made a noise, her hand sliding to his neck. She encouraged his tongue into her mouth, and felt his grip on her side tighten. She sucked on his tongue and he made a noise in the back of his throat, as well.</p><p>Rilla pulled back with a shy smile and a soft giggle.</p><p>“I’ve never done that before,” Arum muttered, “was it.. okay?”</p><p>“I liked it,” Rilla told him, “did you?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arum told her. She leaned back in and kissed along his mouth again, and then nudged him with her tongue as she came back to the front. Arum gently pushed his tongue into her mouth again, and Rilla made a quiet, happy noise.</p><p>Rilla smiled again as she heard Damien whisper, “oh Saint Eros,” to himself, and then pulled back to look between the two of them.</p><p>“Like what you see?” Rilla asked in a teasing voice.</p><p>“Of course,” Damien said, and she smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again, this time pushing her tongue into his mouth with little hesitation. Damien gasped against her, and pressed his tongue against hers.</p><p>Then, Rilla pulled back and looked between the two of them. She watched with a pleased expression as Damien and Arum turned towards each other and Damien kissed along Arum’s face just like she had before pressing their tongues together, Arum pushing his tongue into Damien’s mouth.</p><p>“You are both so hot,” Rilla commented, and she could see Damien blush. They made out for another few moments before pulling back, Damien lifting one hand to his own cheek.</p><p>“Um,” Damien said, “it is a Thursday. I don’t have any classes tomorrow. Would you two like to… stay the night? Of course, you don’t have to feel obligated,” Damien added quickly.</p><p>“I’d like that,” Rilla said, softly, and Arum nodded.</p><p>“Yes, tktktk,” Arum said firmly. Rilla chuckled.</p><p>“Okay,” Damien breathed, “good.”</p><p>Rilla pulled Damien towards her again and kissed him. The three of them continued to kiss for some time, until Rilla spoke again.</p><p>“Um. Should we… sit, on the bed? We’ve been standing for a while,” Rilla asked, and the other two agreed.</p><p>They sat close together, with Rilla in the middle between the other two.</p><p> “I… don’t know if- or where, we should stop for tonight,” Rilla said, pulling a couple braids from behind her shoulder to run her hand over them. “Damien, I know you are waiting for a more serious relationship, and, well- I guess I shouldn’t assume, but, I think it’s pretty clear that I want to be with you two, seriously, but we don’t need to rush into anything. Sex-wise, <em>or</em> relationship-wise, I mean,” Rilla clarified, clearing her throat.</p><p>“I would like us to be in a relationship,” Arum stated, “if you’re both in agreement? tktktk.”</p><p>Rilla nodded, and Damien breathed out slowly. “I agree, I would like nothing more but to be with the both of you,” Damien told them, a hand on Arum’s thigh as he leaned into Rilla’s side. “I must say all of this is a bit <em>unexpected</em>, but. I must speak my heart and… I see no need to wait any longer. Also-” Damien looked at Arum, “I apologize. I did lie to you, at one time, about my feelings for Rilla. I was scared, but I should not have done so.”</p><p>Arum scoffed, “I know, Honeysuckle. I didn’t believe you for a second when you said that.”</p><p>Damien just blushed and sighed. Rilla laughed.</p><p>“Well, that’s all in the past,” Rilla said, bringing her hands to their backs. “We’re officially in a relationship, as of 30 seconds ago. So. You don’t have to hide your feelings, Damien.”</p><p>Damien smiled at her, and then at Arum, “Yes, of course. And I won’t. I only warn you now that I can only assume I will be an overbearing and incredibly romantic lover, so I will apologize in advance for this. And also point out to you that it should not come as a shock.”</p><p>Arum laughed, and leaned his head to nuzzle Damien’s cheek. “Obviously, this is something we like about you, Honeysuckle.”</p><p>“Yes, well,” Damien said, and then he just turned to nuzzle Arum back, then kiss along his face.</p><p>“You’re both so cute,” Rilla said wistfully. She leaned forward to kiss each of their faces in turn.</p><p>“As well,” Damien said, turning to press a kiss to Rilla’s lips. “I… see no need to wait, for, um, the physical aspects of our relationship, either. I have been waiting only for something meaningful, where a real connection has been formed. This relationship is already at that point, I believe,” Damien said. Rilla let out a happy, airy laugh.</p><p>“Of course this is meaningful,” Rilla nodded. “Only if you’re sure, though,” she said, glancing him up and down, and then looking at Arum.</p><p>Arum hummed, “I… have never done any of this before. I’m not yet sure how this works, but whatever you two are comfortable with, you should do.”</p><p>“We don’t have to do anything, though,” Rilla said, “we could cuddle all night, or even just sit and talk. I don’t want any of us feeling uncomfortable or pressured.”</p><p>“How about we just… see where things go?” Damien proposed, “no promises or expectations, any of us can say the word and we shall stop.”</p><p>“That works for me,” Arum said, and Rilla nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>After that, it was a fun, if experimental night. They took it slow, checked in, and kissed one another frequently as they enjoyed the change in their relationship status.</p><p>--</p><p>And so, exams came and went, and, as with every other year, they ended the final days before the winter break with a party.</p><p>It was lowkey (or.. lower key, anyway) given many students who lived on campus had gone home.</p><p>Angelo and Caroline were still around due to their duties with the recreational department. Rilla had an exam on the very last day, anyway. Marc, and Talfryn were going to wait for her so they could home together, Damien also had a late exam, and he was going to stick around as long as Rilla was. Quanyii and Arum already lived off-campus, but they would show up to the party, anyway.</p><p>As always, the party was hosted at Rilla, Marc, and Talfryn’s apartment. Their halls were decked with decorations, and there was Saintsrise music playing on a speaker.</p><p>Rilla, having finished her last exam only hours prior, was sitting on the counter in the kitchen with Damien between her knees and a drink her in hand. Rilla was leaning forward, and they were kissing.  </p><p>“You two!” Marc said as he wheeled in from the hall. “Get a <em>room</em>.”</p><p>“I have a room, you’d still complain. Besides, we have to wait for Arum to arrive,” Rilla said with a giggle, lifting her cup to her mouth. “Also, Marc, you <em>literally</em> encouraged me to speak my heart, so you legally can’t complain about this. Reap what you’ve sown!”</p><p>“I will <em>not</em> reap, and I <em>will</em> complain,” Marc said. Rilla just rolled her eyes and pressed her lips to the edge of Damien’s mouth.</p><p>“Leave them alone, Marc, it’s the Holidays!” Talfryn said, adjusting a decoration that was askew. He was wearing a festive hat. “It’s time for love, and joy.”</p><p>“Yeah, Marc!” Rilla grinned. Damien chuckled under his breath, and turned around. Rilla slung one hand over his chest, and he placed his hand over hers.</p><p>“And what a merry holiday it is,” Damien said. “I am <em>so </em>excited to share our first Saintsrise together. Along with Arum, of course,” Damien grinned, and Rilla kissed his cheek.</p><p>Marc gagged as their door opened. “Oh, thank God, backup,” he said, his eyes falling on Caroline first.</p><p>“Oh, Saint’s help me,” Caroline said as she and Quanyii walked in. Quanyii, like Talfryn, was wearing a festive hat. “Are we seriously going to have to endure <em>you two</em> all night?”</p><p>“Arum will also be joining us, so you’ll have to endure all three,” Rilla said, nuzzling the side of Damien’s face.</p><p>“Shoot me now,” Caroline said.</p><p>“Right?” Marc yelled.</p><p>“I think you’re so totally cute!” Quanyii squeed, going over to hug them. Rilla and Damien hugged her back. “And I wouldn’t mind being a fly on that wall, anyway,” she winked and Damien made a little noise of disappointment. “Anyway, who’s ready for shots?” Quanyii said, moving past the two of them to go get the plastic cups, as usual.</p><p>“I’ve already had a couple,” Rilla confessed.</p><p>“Yeah, I can tell, babe, just by the look of you,” Quanyii said, twisting her head to look at Rilla with a laugh. Rilla stuck her tongue out.</p><p>“Angelo isn’t even here yet,” Talfryn said, “he has most of the alcohol. We can at <em>least</em> wait that long.”</p><p>As if on cue, the door opened up again. Angelo and Arum entered, both carrying some bottles in green, reusable bags.</p><p>“Hey everybody!” Angelo greeted, and the others greeted him back.</p><p>“Arum!” Rilla called, reaching her free arm out.</p><p>“Let me put down the bag, Amaryllis, tktktk,” Arum said, as he and Angelo dropped the bag on the table.</p><p>“They need to be stopped,” Caroline said, as Arum made his way over and hugged Damien and Rilla. They each kissed a side of his face. “Something <em>has</em> to be done.”</p><p>“Nooo, they’re so sweet,” Quanyii cooed, placing shot glasses on the table. Then, Qunayii looked at Angelo and informed him, “we’re pouring shots.”</p><p>“Aye aye,” Angelo said, opening up one of the bottles and following behind Quanyii.</p><p>Once the shots were poured, Rilla let go of Damien and Arum long enough to put her cup down and accept the glass.</p><p>“I would toast to Saintsrise but it doesn’t actually start for another half a week,” Quanyii announced. “And, actually, come to think of it, we have something much more pressing to toast. We’re officially FINISHED the first semester, which is <em>way</em> more exciting. To good friends and the end of horrible, nasty exams!” she yelled, and everyone lifted their cups, and everyone drank.</p><p>Damien collected the cups from his two lovers and Angelo tossed them in the trash, because Damien couldn’t very well move from his spot between Rilla’s legs. Now that her hands were free, Rilla had one arm around each of them.</p><p>Arum smiled and brought his arms around the two of them, too, and the three of them bent their heads together, all giggling.</p><p>As predicted by Marc and Caroline, from that point on, Rilla, Arum, and Damien could hardly keep their hands off each other. Their friends teased, sure, but they couldn’t care.</p><p>They’d wasted enough weeks longing, after all.</p><p>Now that they all knew, they didn’t want to wait any longer.</p><p>So, they didn’t.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The end!</p><p>if you liked this, feel free to leave kudos or drop a comment! it really means a lot :&gt;</p>
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